TWO suspects were bust for stealing a railway line valued at R1,4million after they were caught red-handed loading the tracks onto trucks will remain in police custody.
Samuel Mngomezulu (40) and Thulani Khumalo (33) appeared before Emalahleni Magistrates court in Mpumalanga yesterday.
They face charges of damaging of essential infrastructure, as well as theft and possession of stolen property after they were bust by the Middelburg Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit together with Afriguard, Transnet and Durban Harbour Police at Balmoral Railway Station, when they were found loading the stripped railway line onto the vehicles.
The incident happened early this month. The court heard Mngomezulu tried to flee the scene with a company vehicle, which collided with a wall and escaped, while his accomplice Khumalo was arrested on the scene.
Captain Lucy Sekgotodi said Mngomezulu was positively identified at his home in Vosman and linked to the crime scene. “They were denied bail and their cases were postponed to 4 November for further investigation and they will remain in custody until their case is finalised.”
She also said accused Petros Breedt (57) from Droogsfontein Farm in Sundra will be out on R3 000 bail after he was released by Delmas Magistrates Court yesterday. “He was bust on Thursday for possession of unlicenced rifles and his case was postponed to 23 October for further police investigation”.
