The team of investigators assigned to probe the murder of slain Collins Chabane Municipality mayor Moses Maluleke, have linked one of four suspects arrested for a spate of serious crimes in the Vhembe area, to his murder.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela said the Vhembe trio crimes task team received information about a number of suspects who committed a spate of business robberies, car hijackings, murders, rapes and burglaries in Thohoyandou, Mphephu, Siloam, Vuwani and Levubu.

“This information led the team to various locations in the area where the four suspects, between the ages of 21 and 44-years-old, were arrested,” he said.

Subject to further probes, Mojapelo said a 30-year-old man was positively linked to Maluleke’s murder as well as the murder of a lawyer from Thohoyandou who was shot and killed in the entrance of his home in January.

“This link brings the total number of suspects arrested for the mayor’s murder to five,” he said.

The suspect will appear before the Malamulele Magistrate’s Court today on a charge of murder.

“The other four accused are scheduled to appear in the same court on September 19.”