GRAAFF-REINET NEWS — The crime report for the week of October 23 to 30 starts with a sombre note reports police spokesperson W/O Gerrie van Rooyen.
A detective attached to the Graaff-Reinet Detective Branch was arrested on Wednesday, October 25, by detectives from the Commercial Crimes Unit in Port Elizabeth on a suspicion of Fraud.
Investigations revealed that Const Kwanele Mngasi allegedly submitted fraudulent claims after performing investigations in Cape Town on various occasions during 2015 and 2016. Mngasi appeared in the Port Elizabeth Commercial Crimes court on October 26 and the case was postponed to November 17 pending further investigation.
On Thursday, October 26, an Aberdeen resident, 66-year-old Joseph Gideon Stewardson booked himself into a local accommodation establishment and was scheduled to leave on Friday, October 27. After he failed to emerge, personnel visited his room and found Stewardson hanging behind the bathroom door.
He was certified dead by paramedics who were summoned to the scene. An inquest has been registered since no crime is suspected to have been committed.
During the early hours of Saturday, October 28, 28 police members on patrol found the body of a man lying in Oranje Street, Mandela Park.
After investigating it was found that the deceased had an open wound to the chest. The victim was later identified as the 54-year-old Asherville resident Jurie Booysen. A case of Murder has been registered and is currently under investigation.
A burglary was reported at an electric substation in the industrial area while burglaries to residential premises were reported in Cypress Grove and Mandela Park, Kroonvale, on October 28. Eight suspects were arrested for the possession of drugs including dagga, Tik and Mandrax.
Clients visiting ATM machines are once again warned to be vigilant when utilizing these facilities.
A number of instances have been reported in recent weeks where unsuspected customers were conned out of cash and cards while making withdrawals at ATM’s in town.
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