PRETORIA – Four South African Defence Force (SANDF) members who were initially detained and released in August for conspiracy to commit crime, fraud and trespassing at an illegal mining hot-spot at Kudu Shaft, Welkom have been rearrested today.
The accused, a Colonel, a Warrant, and two Corporals found themselves on the wrong side of the law when they were found in the premises of the Welkom privately owned mine on 06 July 2020. The court subsequently released them based on insufficient evidence.
The Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation persisted despite the initial hiccup. The unyielding probe has since revealed that at the time of the alleged offense the group that was clad in full military uniform was supposed to be on duty at their bases in Pretoria and Kroonstad respectively.
Primarily what raised suspicion was that one of them had his private firearm with him and they were using a private vehicle affixed with SANDF plates with its license disc removed.
They have been rounded off on Friday on warrants of arrest at their respective bases. All four are expected to appear before the Welkom Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
