Limpopo police arrest suspects of kidnapping and murder

LIMPOPO – Limpopo police have arrested four suspects involved in a house robbery on March 13 that resulted in the kidnapping and murder of a 38-year-old man in the Sekhukhune District.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba said that the four suspects aged between 23 and 53-years-old were arrested on Thursday evening (May 16) following an extensive joint operation between members of the murder and robbery teams and detectives.

“Two suspects, one of whom is a foreign national, were arrested at Marble Hall informal settlement. During the arrest, police recovered some of the items taken from the victims during the house robbery.”

“The other two suspects were arrested in Matekane village. One of the suspects is the estranged husband of the female victim, the other was in possession of an unlicensed firearm believed to have been used to commit the crime,” said Mashaba.

The provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has welcomed the arrests.

“The tireless work of our officers in bringing these perpetrators to justice is commendable. These arrests will send a stern warning to criminals that no lawlessness will be allowed to take hold,” stated Hadebe.

The four suspects are expected to appear before Nebo Magistrate’s Court facing charges ranging from murder, kidnapping, house robbery, possession of unlicensed firearm, and possession of suspected stolen properties.

Mashaba said that on the date of the incident, the deceased and his partner were reportedly asleep when two armed suspects forced entry into the property and demanded money.

The suspects then bound and gagged the couple, ransacked the house and took cellphones and an undisclosed amount of cash.

The male victim was forced into his Toyota Fortuner and taken from the property.  His body was found in Ga-Mabintane village the following day inside his car with multiple gunshot wounds.

Police investigation continues.