Police have worked swiftly to arrest a 35-year-old man in connection with the triple stabbing of three Coptic Egyptian monks inside a Coptic monastery in Gauteng.

SAPS spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi in a statement confirms the arrest, and adds that the man is expected to make his first appearance in the Cullinan Magistrate’s Court tomorrow.

No more details about the arrest have been made known.

The killings

The Coptic Orthodox Church yesterday posted a statement on Facebook that states that Monk Hegumen Takla El-Samuely (deputy of the diocese of South Africa), the Monk Yostos Ava Markos and the Monk Mina Ava Markos were killed.

The statement adds: “The church expresses its deep anguish over the occurrence of such a tragic incident, extends its sincere condolences to the families of the three monks, and is full of confidence that only the merciful and just God is able to grant comfort and reveal the truth.”

Saddening and shocking news received of the murder of three monks in our Coptic Orthodox Monastery of St Mark and St Samuel the Confessor in Johannesburg, South Africa today.

Fr Takla El-Samouili, the diocesan Vicar, and Fr Youstos Ava-Markos and Fr Mina Ava-Markos were… pic.twitter.com/gE5jGZ4vBN

— Archbishop Angaelos (@BishopAngaelos) March 12, 2024

Confirming the incident, Nevhuhulwi in an earlier statement said a case of murder is being investigated, and added that the stabbing incident happened in Cullinan.

“All three victims were found with stab wounds while the fourth victim, who survived, alleged that he was hit by an iron rod on his hand before fleeing and hiding in one of the rooms,” her statement explains.

The motive of the killings remain unknown, and no valuable items were taken.