MASERU – Police have arrested four men linked to a M107 000 armed robbery after they took by surprise the Naledi Funeral Planners’ office at gunpoint in Maputsoe last month.

The accused aged between 21 and 32 are all from Mapoteng in the Berea district.

They are reported to have raided the company’s branch at gun point on December 7.  

They are also believed to be connected to a M30 000 robbery that took place in Maputsoe, Leribe on November 22 when a Ha ’Mathata woman was attacked in her house.

Upon their arrest, Police spokesperson Superintendent Mpiti Mopeli said police seized two firearms, a .22 and .67 pistols from the suspects.

Supt Mopeli said police also later confiscated property mostly furniture, that the suspects had bought with the stolen money.

In other related news, a security guard named Thabiso Ramolato, 25, of Thaba Tseka is accused of robbing a client M2 500 at a Lesotho Post Bank Auto Teller Machine (ATM) he was guarding in Ha Marakabei.

It is alleged that the victim had asked for assistance from the guard after failing several times to utilise the ATM.

The guard then went into his guard room and exchanged the victim’s card with another, before telling the customer that the problem was with the failing internet connection.

“The unsuspecting victim had already given the suspect his PIN number and after he had left, he received a message on his mobile phone showing that M2 500 had just been withdrawn from his bank account. He then alerted the police leading to the suspect’s apprehension.

Ramolato who has already appeared before the Thaba-Tseka Magistrate’s Court is expected back before the same court on February 4.