[Fwd: Ex-top cop's *alleged* crime rampage]

By Shaun Smillie

Twice police had former SA Police Service captain Patrick Magonono in
cuffs, and twice he got off to continue an alleged life of crime.

But luck ran out for the former head of the Criminal Investigations
Division (CID) at the Magaliesburg police station, when he was arrested
by the Hawks for his alleged involvement in the robbery at the Rio Hotel
Casino in Klerksdorp this year.

Hawks spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Lesego Metsi said investigators
tracked down Magonono after CCTV footage caught an image of the number
plates on the black BMW 320 used in the crime.

The BMW was registered to Magonono. The robbery took place on April 15,
when staff and patrons were held up at gunpoint at the casino. A day
later, police made arrests.

Police allege Magonono's crime spree began at least two years ago while
he was head of the CID at the Magaliesburg police station.

Then, Metsi claims, Magonono was involved in a series of violent crimes
on smallholdings in the area.

The top cop was arrested in April 2008 along with five of his policemen
colleagues.

Prior to his arrest in 2008, said Metsi, Magonono resigned from the
police service.

He appeared in a Gauteng magistrate's court and was granted bail.

Then, in March, North West police again caught up with Magonono, this
time after a car chase and shootout.

While they were tying up the shopkeeper and his workers with cable ties,
a patrolling police van happened to drive by.

Police found a blue light inside the BMW, which was also fitted with a
police siren. Police also recovered Magonono's SAPS appointment
certificate and discovered that the car had been hijacked.

Magonono appeared in the Tlhabane Magistrate's Court on March 23 on a
charge of business robbery, possession of a vehicle suspected to have
been stolen, attempted murder and impersonating a police official.

He was again granted bail, said Metsi.

"He was given bail because it was alleged he was assaulted by police,
and because he had a fixed address and was South African," explained
Metsi.

A month before Magonono appeared in the Tlhabane Magistrate's Court, the
Hawks believed he was involved in another armed robbery at the Sun City
casino near Rustenburg, where a gang of 10 heavily armed men made off
with an undisclosed amount of money.

Metsi said investigators were also trying to link Magonono to a number
of house robberies.

This article was originally published on page 1 of The Star on June 30,
2010

Published on the Web by IOL on 2010-06-30 04:35:00

Comments:

Anonymous wrote :
Why give him bail after he was caught the second time?

Anonymous wrote :
Let me guess, he used a firearm handed into the police station by some
innocent citizen who didn't get a licence renewed.

Peter T wrote :
An armed robber who happen to be a former Police Captain is granted bail
for Armed Robbery? Our justice system is getting worse by the day
(Edited by IOL)

Anonymous wrote :
Oh he will be released soon and all charges dropped against him so he
ONCE AGAIN can continue with his criminal behaviour. Welcome to the NEW
south africa

Tjoppie wrote :
We need another police force to protect us against the police.