THREE men facing armed robbery charges have been remanded in custody after appearing in the Maseru Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Holomo Kane (39), Reentseng Lechesa (30) and Neo Monyobe (25) allegedly robbed a businessman of Chinese descent at gunpoint on 6 September this year.
According to police deputy spokesperson, Senior Inspector Lerato Motseki, the trio ambushed the businessman near Lerotholi Polytechnic.
“It is reported that on 6 September, a Chinese businessman was driving a car with his Mosotho employee at around 9am when the three allegedly pointed a gun at them near a speed hump,” Senior Inspector Motseki said.
The trio, she said, allegedly entered the car and robbed the businessman of M3 000 cash and an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card.
They allegedly blindfolded the two men and drove to Maseru Mall where they used the ATM card to withdraw M1 500.
Senior Inspector Motseki said the businessman and his employee were then dropped near Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital.
“The three suspects then allegedly went to Ladybrand, South Africa where they used the ATM card to buy clothes worth M12 000,” she said.
“Staff at the Ladybrand clothing outlet the suspects were shopping became suspicious after realising the ATM card belonged to a person of Chinese descent and gave the Maseru Border Post police a tip-off.”
Upon arrival at the border post, the suspects were arrested and ordered to return the clothes to the Ladybrand shop. The South African police later handed the three over to the Lesotho Mounted Police Service.
“Holomo Kane and Reentseng Lechesa were granted M3 000 bail and M25 000 surety but failed to pay both the bail and surety. Neo Monyobe was not granted bail because he has another pending robbery case,” said Senior Inspector Motseki, adding they would next appear in court on 21 September 2016.