Police colonel hijacked
among shacks
By Daily Dispatch on
September 9, 2014
A SENIOR crime
intelligence officer was hijacked, robbed and assaulted by three men in East
London on Sunday night.
Colonel Bongani
Maqashalala, one of the most senior policeman in the Eastern Cape Crime
Intelligence Division, was driving in the Amagali Abomvu informal settlement
near the East London Airport when the thugs struck. The incident occurred after
7pm.
Bongani
Maqashalala, one of the most senior policeman in the Eastern Cape Crime
Intelligence Division was hijacked, robbed and assaulted by three men in East
London.
A police
officer who was at the scene of the crime and spoke to the Daily Dispatch on condition
of anonymity said the colonel had gone to the informal settlement to fetch his
gardener when he got lost and started asking for directions.
“As he
was busy talking to locals there, three men appeared from the dark carrying
guns.
They
started pointing their firearms at the colonel and started bashing him with the
weapons,” said the officer.
He said
the robbers took the officer’s state firearm and demanded his wallet.
“They
then took him to the bushes where they tied him up. One of the suspects asked
for the card pin and went to the Greenfields shopping centre where he withdrew
a maximum amount of R3000 from officer’s account.
“The
suspect later returned and handed over the card and the vehicle to the officer.
The
officer said the colonel went to Fleet Street police station to report the
matter.
“All big
guns from Organised Crimes Unit in East London rushed to Fleet Street upon
hearing the news to console the officer.
“They
then summoned members of the East London Flying Squad and Tactical Response
Team
to go hunt the suspects,” said the officer. He said when the units arrived at
the informal settlement they quickly went to a local tavern and shut it down.
“The
tavern was filled to capacity and everyone was made to lie down as the members
continued searching for the colonel’s firearm and money.
“He
arrived and we conducted an identity parade which came out negative, the
suspects were not there,” he said.
The
officer said Maqashalala was then escorted to an unidentified East London
hospital where he was treated and discharged.
His phone
was off yesterday when contacted for comment.
Provincial
police spokeswoman Brigadier Marinda Mills confirmed the hijacking and said a
case of armed robbery was registered at the Fleet Street police station. There
had been no arrests. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
