Breaking News: Mountain Rise shootout suspect arrested

One of AK-47 brandishing gang member arrested in joint police operation over the weekend. Police confident of more arrests shortly.

Quick work by Project CAT and the Organised Crime unit has led to the arrest of a suspect in connection with the brazen armed robbery that took place in Mountain Rise, Pietermaritzburg, earlier this month.

Senzo Ntombela, 33, was arrested in Durban and has been remanded in custody after a brief appearance in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday morning. He will appear in court again on July 14 for a possible bail application.

Mountain Rise businessman Ismail Dhoda was terrorised and his house ransacked earlier this month when he was followed to his Mountain Rise home by more than 17 AK-47 brandishing robbers.

CCTV footage from the scene showed how the robbers unleashed a barrage of machine-gun fire on two security company owners, Shameel Ally of Ilanga security and Shaheen Sulemanof Magma Security. They had both responded to a call to assist at the scene. Suleman was shot and injured in the cross-fire during the incident. He has since recovered.

Midlands SAPS spokesman Constable Mthokozisi Ngobese said the suspect has also been linked with other cases.

“The suspect was arrested in the Durban area when he was found in possession of an unlicensed firearm,” said Ngobese.

Project CAT chief officer Noben Karien said the hunt was on for the other suspects. He said the arrest came after a joint operation by Organised Crime, CAT and other provincial units over the weekend.

Watch footage here: Dramatic CCTV footage of Mountain Rise AK47 heist