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The Hawks in the Eastern Cape said a Mthatha businessman appeared in court for allegedly being in possession of a generator and electricity distribution box stolen from a Vodacom cellular tower.
Hawks Eastern Cape spokesperson, Captain Yolisa Mgolodela, said 44-year-old Allister Antonakas appeared in the Mthatha District Court on Wednesday, following his arrest by the Mthatha-based Serious Organised Crime Investigation team of the Hawks.
The arrest was made in conjunction with investigators from Vodacom, probing the theft of a cellular tower generator and distribution box on 29 May in the Tsolo district.
“On 25 April 2023, two investigators from Vodacom approached the Mthatha SOCI office seeking assistance as they received information about the generator that was being used at Jimmy’s Chicken and Pork shop in Sutherland Street,” she said.
Mgolodela said the team went to the shop that same afternoon and following a search of the premises, they came across a generator worth R450 000 and the electricity distribution box worth R90 000.
She said these were identified by the Vodacom investigators as the equipment stolen from the cell tower and Antonakas was arrested when he could not provide a satisfactory explanation for being in possession of the stolen property.
He was remanded in custody until Friday when he’s expected to bring a formal bail application.
