Sipho Mji aged 40, appeared at the Mqanduli magistrate court on Thursday 6 August 2020, along with eight other suspects on charges of murder, attempted murder, armed robbery and car hijacking.
Mji was arrested on Wednesday 5 August 2020, as the ninth suspect allegedly linked to the murder of Constable Lonwabo Soga (26) who was fatally wounded at Zidindi Location in Coffee Bay on 3 December 2019.
Constable Soga attached to Coffee Bay SAPS was approached by a group of about 4 suspects, whilst on duty with his colleague driving a marked police van.
The suspects pretended to be in need of police assistance.
Several shots were fired at the police vehicle, killing him instantly, police were disarmed and their vehicle hijacked to commit armed robbery at a local store where they got away with R6000-00 cash, a firearm and a bakkie belonging to the store owner, which was found abandoned near Mqanduli.
Eight other suspects were arrested between December 2019 and March this year with a total of 6 firearms recovered, this includes the police firearm as well as the store owner’s firearm taken during the incident.
Two of the nine suspects were released on R3000-00 bail whilst the case against the remaining suspects was postponed to the 27 August 2020 for a formal bail application.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
