Three suspects, including a prominent liquor outlet businessman in Limpopo, Phillip Mokgadi Maphepha (34), his associate Lesedi Issac Khubayi (31), and a liquor delivery truck driver, Robert Ledwaba (30), appeared before the Gilead Periodic Court on Monday, 31 March 2025, following their involvement in an alleged staged truck hijacking in which liquor worth R1.2 million was stolen. They were each granted R2 000-00 bail, and their case has been postponed to 19 May 2025 for further police investigations.
A lengthy investigation by the Polokwane Vehicle Crime Investigation Unit (VICU) revealed that in October 2024, a truck transporting liquor to Botswana was allegedly hijacked near the Groblersbridge Port of Entry by two suspects. The driver and his crew were taken to a secluded area, where the suspects forced them to unhook the trailer and attach it to another truck. The victims were later abandoned in the Mokopane bushes.
Further investigations uncovered that the truck driver had colluded with the same individuals and orchestrated a staged hijacking, transporting the stolen liquor to a business along the N1 North outside Polokwane. The suspects then abandoned the trailer in Sengatane near Seshego before falsely reporting the hijacking at the Gilead police station. The driver and his crew were later rewarded with R300 000-00 in cash for their involvement.
Following a thorough investigation led by VICU Commander, Lt Col Nkuna, the suspects were identified, traced, and arrested on Friday, 28 March 2025. The two trucks and a trailer have since been confiscated by the police as part of investigation. The court proceedings are ongoing, and additional charges may be brought against them as the case progresses.
Maphepha and Khubayi are facing charges of truck hijacking and theft, while Ledwaba has been charged with theft and perjury. The case against the fourth accused has since been withdrawn.
Limpopo Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has commended the VICU team for their meticulous investigation that led to the arrest of these suspects and uncovering their shady deals.
“We remain steadfast in our mission to combat organized crime and warn criminals that they can never outsmart our skilled detectives,” said Lieutenant General Hadebe.
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