Police hunt down murder suspects
Shongweni K9 unit, Shongweni community and Hillcrest detectives led to the swift arrest of nine men linked to the murder of John and Hester Noble.
A JOINT operation between the Shongweni K9 unit, the Shongweni community and Hillcrest detectives led to the swift arrest of nine men linked to the murder of John and Hester Noble.
A manhunt that began on Monday 11 November led the Shongweni K9 Unit to the homes of some of the men, which were pointed out to police by an informer.
According to Cpt Neil Thaver of the Shongweni K9 Unit, two men were arrested and a third man fled to the nearby bushes where he was apprehended by K9 Unit dog Rajah and Cst Sipho Masango.
Officers then proceeded to five seperate houses where they recovered goods stolen from the Nobles. Police recovered a digital photo album, a hi-fi, jewellery, power tools, a compressor, a DVD player and gas tanks.
The fourth man charged with murder and house robbery was arrested on Wednesday 13 November after police received information on his whereabouts. They proceeded to the Shongweni area, where the man was arrested. Police found jewellery and power tools in his possession.
Cpt Shaun Lessing from Hillcrest Field Unit said the other five men were arrested and charged with receiving stolen goods and were later released.
The four men will appear in court again on Wednesday 20 November.
Shongweni murder suspects fear for their lives
Last week Wednesday, the three men suspected of killing John and Hester Noble last week appeared in the Pinetown Magistrates Court on charges of murder and house robbery.
The accused applied for legal aid lawyers to represent them and were remanded at the Hillcrest Police Station.
The accused said they needed medical attention as they had been assaulted by police and bitten by police dogs, and they wanted their case to be heard in camera.
They also asked to be remanded at Westville prison as they feared for their lives at the Hillcrest Police Station, claiming they had been threatened.
The magistrate, Ishmael Motaung, agreed with the prosecutor, Dumisani Dlungwane, that this is a high profile case and the public needs to know about it.
“It’s just speculation that they have been threatened, the police know the law and they can no longer intervene because this is a court matter, and besides, remanding the accused at the Westville prison could delay the investigation,” said Dlungwane.
Motaung said he had noted all their grievances and will make recommendations of how the accused could be assisted.
