Wanted murder suspect nabbed in Melmoth

A multi-disciplinary police operation led to the arrest of a suspect wanted in connection with the murder of a municipal police officer in Melmoth last Monday.

The suspect (25) is alleged to have killed the KwaDukuza Municipality Crime Prevention Unit superintendent.

A thorough investigation led the police to Thubelihle informal settlement in Melmoth where the suspect was arrested during the course of the operation, which ran over Sunday and Monday.

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According to the police report, the man was taken to his residence at the KwaMashu informal settlement, where the murder weapon – a 9mm Taurus pistol – was recovered with the serial number filed off.

Two magazines and 32 live rounds of ammunition were also recovered.

“On the day of the murder, the suspect had boarded a taxi from KwaDukuza.

“The suspect robbed the taxi driver of R2 500 and four passengers of their cellphones at gunpoint on the N2 near Groutville RTI offices in the KwaDukuza Policing Precinct,” said the police statement.

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“Due to the taxi parked incorrectly on the bridge next to Groutville RTI, KwaDukuza Municipality Crime Prevention Unit Superintendent Arumugam approached the taxi and was fatally shot by the suspect,” said police.

The SAPS further stated that the taxi driver fled the scene and the suspect drove the taxi into the Thembeni area in KwaDukuza, abandoning it with the passengers still inside.

The suspect has been charged with three counts, namely murder, carjacking and armed robbery at KwaDukuza SAPS, and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition at KwaMashu SAPS.

The suspect will appear in Ntunzuma Magistrates’s Court tomorrow (Wednesday).

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