OWN CORRESPONDENT, Nelspruit | Saturday
TWO teachers, the owner of a Nelspruit panelbeating firm and five others have appeared in court at Mala in the Northern Province lowveld for robbing an American honeymoon couple and their tour guide outside the Kruger National Park earlier this month.
The eight were arrested this week in a joint operation by Northern Province and Mpumalanga police that also involved the park’s environmental crime investigation unit, police said.
Scott Newman, 29, and his wife, Lesley, 28, were robbed of their minibus and all their belongings when a gang of six men attacked them shortly after they left the Sabi Sands game reserve.
Police said their vehicle was found on the premises of Autotechnic panel beaters in Nelspruit.
They did not name the panelbeater, but identified the teachers as German Makhubedi and Daniel Mashele, from Masana High School at Dwarsloop in the Bushbuckridge area. The other accused are Fanie Mabuza, Simon Malele, Dedoti Ngobe, Solomon Masego and Bethuel Lubisi.
They have been remanded in custody until their next court appearance.