’Mantoetse Maama
Police are still searching for 10 men suspected of robbing a supermarket in Ha Makoa village in Qacha’s Nek last week.
According to District Police Commissioner for Qacha’s Nek, Senior Superintendent Hlalele Rampai, the heavily armed suspects attacked the shop-owner and customers at around 8pm on Thursday, before ransacking the store and robbing the hapless clients, who had been ordered to lie on the floor.
“The 52-year-old businesswoman told the police that her supermarket was robbed by 10 heavily armed men on 23 April.
“She said the robbers had arrived at around 8pm and ordered everyone in the store to lie down. The supermarket sells both liquor and groceries. The robbers are said to have searched the customers, and taken their cellphones and cash. They also took groceries, liquor and money from the shop. The items stolen from the shop and the money amounted to roughly M25 000,” Senior Superintendent Hlalele Rampai said this week.
After the robbery, Senior Superintendent Rampai said the suspects crossed the border into South Africa and remain at large. He appealed for anyone with information on the suspects to contact his or her nearest police station.
“After the robbery, the robbers fled to South Africa through a post that is located near the village. No one was hurt during the robbery. It is suspected the criminals were a mixture of South Africa and Lesotho nationals.
“Most criminals cross to South Africa after committing crime in Lesotho to avoid arrest, but we are determined to make sure they are brought to book no-matter how long it might take to do so. However, armed robbery cases are rare in Qacha’s Nek; we mostly deal with stock-theft in that area. But this vicious crime is the third one this month in Qacha’s Nek; the most recent one occurred on 15 April in Sehlabathebe and the owner of the shop was shot. He is still in hospital where he is being treated,” he added.
No one has been arrested and police continue with investigations in all the three cases, Senior Superintendent Rampai said.
