Foreign National Faces Charges for Cash-In-Transit Heist and Police Officer's Murder in Eastern Cape

The Eastern Cape's fight against high-stakes crime saw a significant development as foreign national Eric John Bakali, aged 31, was hauled before a judiciary bench in South Africa. On August 21, 2024, the individual believed to be a central figure in a brazen cash-in-transit heist and the subsequent murder of a police officer was apprehended by the hawk-eyed operatives from the Mthatha Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit of the Hawks. His court appearance in Durban rapidly ensued the same day.

The challenging landscape of crime in the Eastern Cape was jolted when on the fateful afternoon of October 19, 2020, two G4S armored vehicles, laden with cash after collections from Lusikisiki and Port St John's, were brazenly ambushed by armaments-brandishing miscreants. The armed gang compelled the security personnel to exit the vehicles before deploying explosives on one truck.

However, the tension escalated as the law enforcement's proximity prompted a fiercer confrontation; a battle of bullets ensued. While the culprits fled with an unspecified amount of loot, the relentless pursuit by the police led them to the tragic moment at Mhlakulo junction, where one officer was mortally wounded.

The expansive manhunt led to the capture of a wounded suspect in the neighboring forest post the chaotic crime. A vehicle suspected to be part of the criminals’ convoy was discovered abandoned, providing essential leads.

Bakali’s capture adds to the prior apprehension of companions in crime, Ally Josephs (42) and Andile Mayisela (40), detained during 2020 and 2021, forming a grim triad of suspects. While Josephs has remained under custody, Mayisela managed to secure a R5000 bail, his risk of absconding deemed minimal.

With facts unfolding and charges pressing, Bakali's journey from Durban to the Eastern Cape was for an imminent rendezvous with justice at Tsolo Magistrate’s court alongside his co-accused on August 23, 2024.

The diligent investigative narrative has now fixated on the subsequent court date of August 27, 2024, where legal representatives will converge for decisions on representation and the potential bail contentiousness. Bakali remains detained, tethered to the gravity of his alleged offenses.

The commendable strides by the investigating team did not go unnoticed – a sentiment echoed by the Provincial Head of the Hawks, Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya. His applaud for their steadfast resolve and contribution to the suppression of high-profile criminality imbues a sense of triumph within law enforcement circles.