THE case of alleged car thieves Alberto Samuel Fundzama (25) and Marcelino Langa (43) was postponed in the Bushbuckridge Magistrates Court on Wednesday, 11 January.
Their lawyer, Advocate Pieter Naude, was reported to be sick.
Fundzama (25) and Langa (43), both illegal immigrants from Mozambique, have been behind bars since 25 December after being arrested at Afsaal picnic site in the Kruger National Park for possession of suspected stolen Toyota Hilux bakkies allegedly stolen in Delmas and Daveyton, Gauteng.
Last week they informed the court that they would be changing their plea to not guilty.
Naude submitted affidavits claiming they were taxi drivers who were sent to deliver the vehicles to someone in Malelane.
Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said the suspects were caught trying to avoid operations by police by taking the tourist route through the Kruger National Park.
“But enjoying the park, they decided to spend some time at Afsaal. The tracker signal had already been picked up and the suspects had their last day of freedom on Christmas Day,” he said.
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“The tracker alerted the police and San Park security personnel who intercepted one of the vehicles.”
He said the suspect revealed there was a second stolen vehicle, which led to the arrest of the second suspect.
“The stolen vehicles were already fitted with false registration plates. Police can not rule out the possibility of adding other charges,” he said.
Magistrate Ayesha Kikia postponed the matter to 18 January for further bail hearing.
