Police said the fight is far from over and have vowed to study the reasons behind the withdrawal.
Picture: iStock
KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) police have suffered a setback in their efforts to bring those responsible for the 2021 Sydenham mass murder to justice after charges against a suspect arrested in connection with the killings were withdrawn.
However, police said the fight is far from over and have vowed to study the reasons behind the withdrawal before working with prosecutors to have the charges reinstated.
Justice
KZN police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said investigators remain committed to securing justice for the nine victims gunned down in a series of attacks in Sydenham in October 2021.
“Police in KwaZulu-Natal have noted the withdrawal of charges against the suspect who was arrested in connection with the killing of nine people in Sydenham in 2021.”
Arrest
Netshiunda said police arrested the suspect on a warrant, adding that they would analyse the court’s reasons for the withdrawal and engage with the prosecution to revive the case.
“Police will study the court’s reasons for withdrawal and work with the prosecution to have the charges reinstated.”
The arrest nevertheless produced a significant breakthrough in the long-running investigation.
Other suspect
According to police, detectives uncovered information linking another suspect, believed to be both the mastermind and one of the gunmen behind the massacre, to the killings.
Netshiunda said the suspect is already behind bars serving a sentence for an unrelated murder conviction.
“The arrest of the suspect led to another breakthrough when the investigation uncovered that another suspect, who is believed to be a mastermind and a shooter in the same 2021 Sydenham mass murder, is in prison serving a sentence on a separate murder case.”
He added that a requisition process was underway to formally charge the imprisoned suspect.
“The requisition process for him to be formally charged is underway, and he will be brought to court soon.”
Mass shooting
The Sydenham massacre unfolded on 16 October 2021, when six people were shot dead at a house in the Palmiet Road informal settlement. Three more people were killed in separate incidents a short distance away on the same day, allegedly by the same group of suspects.
The KZN Murder and Robbery Unit was assigned the investigation and identified two suspects. One was traced to Empangeni but died in a shootout after allegedly resisting arrest.
The second suspect evaded capture for years before detectives tracked him to the Obuka area in Melmoth, where they arrested him.
KwaMakhutha shooting
Meanwhile, the same specialised unit has now been tasked with investigating the killing of 11 people at Ziko in KwaMakhutha this week.
Netshiunda said detectives were following several leads and expressed confidence that arrests would follow.
“Detectives are following several leads, and it is a matter of time before the suspects are arrested.”
Police have urged anyone with information to come forward through Crime Stop or their nearest police station.
