A man who was shot dead during a shoot-out with the police in uMlazi, KZN, in September last year was a hitman involved in the murder of Durban Metro Police Superintendent Errol Ogle (52).

Southlands Sun reports that this new evidence emerged during the testimony of Warrant Officer Sibusiso Ntshangase of the Hawks during the Durban High Court trial of three men charged with robbery, kidnapping and murder.

The man, identified only as Spha, was shot dead during a shoot-out with the police in Q section in Umlazi in September last year.

Ntshangase also told the court that he obtained cellphone records of the accused when they were being charged. He asked the network service providers used by the accused to release the cellphone records.

Mlungisi Mpanza, Mzomuhle Lawrence Gamede and Sabelo Mncube appeared in the Durban High Court recently. It is alleged that the trio planned the hijacking of a Chester Wholesale Meat delivery truck as an act of revenge after they were fired for taking part in an unlawful strike.

The court heard that the trio planned to hijack the truck and intended to sell the meat to other butcheries. They are facing charges of two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping and murder.

According to the information before the court, on the morning of July 20, 2023, the trio travelled in a vehicle along the M7 Highway in Queensburgh following a truck that was transporting meat worth over R700 000. The court heard that they used their vehicle to force the truck to stop and hijacked it with the driver inside.

Ogle, a Wentworth resident, was on duty in a marked metro police vehicle. He came upon the scene and pulled over a short distance away from the truck on the highway.

Two of the assailants, upon noticing this, proceeded to Ogle’s vehicle and fired at him while he was still in the car. They shot Ogle in the chest, and he died at the scene.

According to information presented in court, the two assailants removed the deceased from the vehicle, took his service pistol and fled the scene. One of the killers drove off in the vehicle, while the other escaped on foot.

The state had obtained phone records, and all three advocates (state and defence) acknowledged this. However, the judge requested that they formalise it under Section 205 of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 and submit it in writing.

The judge also gave the advocates the option to call the network service providers to testify about the authenticity and content of the phone records.

The state asked for an adjournment to subpoena representatives from the service providers to give evidence in court on how the cellphone records were obtained.

The trial was adjourned until November 10.

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