Two suspects who were arrested in connection with the attacks on Intercape buses were expected to appear before the Cofimvaba Magistrate Court on Tuesday, 2 May on charges relating to assault, robbery and malicious damage to property.
A number of Intercape buses have been attacked in the Eastern Cape and according to a report there are more than 160 incidents.
SUSPECTS NABBED FOR ATTACKS INTERCAPE BUSES
South African Police Service (SAPS), spokesperson in the Eastern Cape Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana said the suspects were arrested over the past weekend in Cofimvaba CBD, Chris Hani District.
The arrests follow after several incidents of attacks on Intercape buses by unidentified suspects in various districts in the Eastern Cape.
Eastern Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nomthetheleli Mene had established the investigating task team and further deployed the Tactical Response Teams and Flying Squad members on the national roads to conduct highway patrols during the day and night time to prevent the escalation of these incidents and to protect lives.
ALSO READ: Suspect nabbed in connection with Intercape bus attacks
Kinana said the operational initiatives made a significant difference and impact as the level of incidents began to show a decrease.
“It has been however very difficult to make immediate arrests in some of these cases as the suspects have launched these attacks during the night and in dark and isolated places where there are no houses. These challenges did not dampen the spirit of the investigators and forces on the ground. Investigations continued in search of clues and tangible evidence that could lead to the arrest of the criminal element which ambushed buses without trace,” he explained.
As part of ongoing investigations, SAPS detectives arrested two male suspects believed to be linked to the spate of attacks on Intercape buses. The suspects aged between 26 and 37 were arrested on the weekend of the 29 and 30 April 2023 in Cofimvaba.ALSO
Intercape has also sued Police Minister, Bheki Cele over what it said is a “complete and utter failure” to implement a safety plan to prevent its buses from being attacked. In a 112-page affidavit filed in the Eastern Cape High Court in Makhanda on 31 March 2023, Intercape claimed the police and investigative authorities failed to stop the “calculated campaign of criminality” and were yet to make an arrest.
ALSO READ: ANOTHER Intercape bus SHOOTING in Cape Town
COMMUTERS ROBBED AND ASSAULTED AT FILLING STATION
Kinana said the arrest of the two suspects came after they allegedly confronted people who were waiting for the bus in one of the filling stations in Cofimvaba.
During the incident, the suspects allegedly assaulted and robbed them of their belongings. This particular incident was followed by an attack on the bus in April 2023 between Tsomo and Ngqamakhwe, during which commuters were allegedly robbed and assaulted in the bus.
Kinana said the investigation continues to establish if the two suspects cannot be linked to other incidents which took place in other parts of the province.
Lieutenant General Nomthetheleli Mene has vowed to eradicate the faceless muggers of the Intercape buses everywhere in the Eastern Cape.
“The objective strategies and operational plans put in place to deal with these attacks have started yielding positive results and I need to make it clear that the net is closing in on those who continued to terrorise commuters with violence,” Mene said.
ALSO READ: Intercape offers R550k reward for solid information on bus attacks
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