News / National
Zim woman appears in an SA court for possessing explosives
01 Nov 2013 at 03:29hrs | Views
The Zimbabwean woman Elitha Sibanda who was recently arrested with explosives at Beitbridge Border Post on the South African side has appeared briefly at the Musina Magistrate's Court on charges of unauthorised importation, supply or possession of explosives or incendiary devices.
According to media reports in the neighbouring country, police preliminary investigations showed that the 23-year-old woman could have been just a mule.
Sibanda, who holds a valid Zimbabwean passport, has been living in the Mathole squatter camp in Roodepoort West of Johannesburg for the past two years.
She is not married and has a six-year-old son who lives in Zimbabwe.
It is alleged that after visiting her son, Sibanda returned to South Africa aboard a Zebrulon bus.
At the Beitbridge Border Post, the bus was searched by the police and she was found with two bags of explosives.
The bags contained 100 capped fuses and 26 blasting cartridges all worth R100 000.
The cartridges sell for R3 000 each on the black market and are powerful enough to blow up a safe and if two are used together they will be powerful enough to blow up an ATM.
Limpopo Province police spokesperson Brigadier Hlangwani Mulaudzi was qouted as saying they were still investigating Sibanda, more particularly her movements between South Africa and Zimbabwe.
"In our investigation, we also found that she was only carrying two items, which indicate that she was only coming in and out to transport the explosives from Zimbabwe to South Africa," says Mulaudzi.
The unemployed Sibanda's case was postponed to November 1 for further investigation and a formal bail application.
Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba yesterday confirmed the new developments.
She said their South African counterparts had informed them about the case.
Sibanda was last Wednesday evening arrested in Musina after she was allegedly found in possession of the dangerous explosives and detonators.
She is being charged for unauthorised importation, supply or possession of explosives or incendiary devices.
According to media reports in the neighbouring country, police preliminary investigations showed that the 23-year-old woman could have been just a mule.
Sibanda, who holds a valid Zimbabwean passport, has been living in the Mathole squatter camp in Roodepoort West of Johannesburg for the past two years.
She is not married and has a six-year-old son who lives in Zimbabwe.
It is alleged that after visiting her son, Sibanda returned to South Africa aboard a Zebrulon bus.
At the Beitbridge Border Post, the bus was searched by the police and she was found with two bags of explosives.
The bags contained 100 capped fuses and 26 blasting cartridges all worth R100 000.
The cartridges sell for R3 000 each on the black market and are powerful enough to blow up a safe and if two are used together they will be powerful enough to blow up an ATM.
"In our investigation, we also found that she was only carrying two items, which indicate that she was only coming in and out to transport the explosives from Zimbabwe to South Africa," says Mulaudzi.
The unemployed Sibanda's case was postponed to November 1 for further investigation and a formal bail application.
Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba yesterday confirmed the new developments.
She said their South African counterparts had informed them about the case.
Sibanda was last Wednesday evening arrested in Musina after she was allegedly found in possession of the dangerous explosives and detonators.
She is being charged for unauthorised importation, supply or possession of explosives or incendiary devices.
Source - herald
