MASERU – THE police last week smashed a syndicate of vehicle thieves that was targeting Honda Fit models in Lesotho.
Two men appeared before the Maseru Magistrate’s Court on Monday facing car theft charges.
The case could have opened a window into how the syndicate works.
Khumalo Makhoabane, 33, of Nazareth and Semethe Posholi, 28, of Lithabaneng Ha-Keiso were given M1 000 bail each and they paid M10 000 each as surety.
They will appear again in court on March 17.
Senior Superintendent Mpiti Mopeli, the police spokesman, said the two men together with three others were targeting car dealerships in Maseru.
One is still at large while two others, who are civil servants, have not been charged yet.
The other one is a court messenger and another a school teacher.
One will be charged pending the approval of the Director of Public Prosecutions while the other has been turned into an accomplice witness.
“Their targets are Honda Fit cars,” S/Supt Mopeli said on Tuesday.
He said the police have found that men’s mainstay business is selling the stolen cars.
One of the suspects was arrested last week after an attempt to register a stolen Honda Fit car in his own name.
“Irked by the decision,” S/Supt Mopeli said, “the other thieves decided to steal it from him.”
In 2018 the police said the Honda Fit car model had become the vehicle of choice for thieves because it is small and fast.
Once it leaves a crime scene, it gets lost in the sea of Honda Fit cars in the streets.
“Honda Fit is a very popular car in this country, so it’s no surprise that in almost every case it will be identified as involved in the (committing of crime),” S/Supt Mopeli said at that time.
Staff Reporter