Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Nomthetheleli Mene lauded the exceptional work of the dedicated police investigators who have tirelessly pursued justice in a case that strikes at the heart of our community’s safety. Seven suspects allegedly involved in a series of hit murders, driven by a sinister motive to claim insurance pay-outs were arrested during the early hours of this morning and during the day on Friday, 15 September 2023.
A multidisciplinary, well-coordinated operation was conducted at about 01:00 this morning where warrants of arrests were executed at the residence of 6 suspects in Kwanobuhle and Despatch. The suspects were wanted in several murder cases where the motive for the killings were driven by greed and deception (insurance claims). The arrests were affected after more than 10 months of intense investigations by Queenstown Murder and Robbery and Cradock Commercial Crimes Investigation unit which linked the syndicate to numerous hit killings in Kwadwesi, Kwanobuhle,Despatch, Whittlesea and Kamesh. The suspects were connected to these cases through ballistic linkages and insurances policies. The seventh suspect is at St Albans Prison awaiting trial for a possession of firearm case will also be charged with the other 6 suspects.
During the arrests, the team consisting of Murder and Robbery from Queenstown; Commercial Crimes Unit from Cradock, Uitenhage and Gqeberha; Provincial Anti-Gang Unit in Gqeberha; Public Order Police in Gqeberha; SAPS Kwanobuhle and Despatch detectives also confiscated a firearm, 3 magazines, 95 live rounds of ammunition and two cellphones.
The suspects aged between 40 and 52 years old face charges of at least 11 murder cases of which two are double murder cases in Kwanobuhle, racketeering and fraud relating to the several claims that was submitted on deceased persons for 11 deaths as well as illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
The arrested suspects will appear in the Kariega magistrate court on Monday, 18 September 2023 on the respective charges.
Lt Gen Mene in her commendation on the outstanding success iterated that, “These arrests are a testament to the unwavering commitment and professionalism of our law enforcement officers who worked diligently to bring these perpetrators to book. Their dedication has not only removed a dangerous threat from our streets but also s a clear message that crime will not go unpunished. However, it must be noted that this breakthrough would not have been possible without the outstanding collaboration between our investigators, the National Prosecuting Authority and our partners in the insurance industry. This success marks the beginning of our fight against organised crime and I am convinced that it will open doors for more arrests, dismantling criminal networks that threaten our communities.”
Source: South African Police Service