Members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) at Embalenhle have succeeded in apprehending three outstanding suspects, aged between 22 and 32 believed to have been part of a gang of five, who allegedly kidnapped and gruesomely murdered a 39 year old man, Thulani Kubheka from Embalenhle near Secunda.
Two suspects, Blessing Malatjie and Sydwell Sibiya aged 29 and 31, were initially arrested and already appeared at the Evander Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 12 December 2018, following the discovery of the victim’s body. Kubheka who had been reported as missing on 1 December 2018, was found murdered and his body dumped in a ditch at Emzinoni, near Bethal.
Astute police who were initially investigating a missing person inquiry following the victim’s disappearance, made a breakthrough when information linking Malatjie and Sibiya surfaced. The polic then immediately put the 72 Hour Activation Plan in motion, deploying necessary resources in the form of human resources like Crime Intelligence, Detectives, informers and other relevant role players as well as physical resources, thereby ensuring that the suspects are arrested as a matter of extreme urgency.
Soon thereafter the pair, Malatjie and Sibiya were arrested followed by the subsequent arrest of the latter three and the recovery of the victim’s vehicle, a Ford Figo which had apparently been robbed from him.
The trio will appear at the same magistrates’ court on Tuesday, 18 December 2018, facing the same charges, whilst Malatjie and Sibiya who were remanded in custody pending bail application will reappear on Wednesday, 19 December 2018.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma hailed the smart police and wished a speedy finalisation of the matter in court. He said the suspects’ gruesome and heartless actions needed to be condemned in the strongest possible terms. General Zuma promised the community of Mpumalanga that the men and women in blue, will work tirelessly to stamp the authority of the state by squeezing the space in which criminals are operating, thereby ensuring that our people are not only safe, but most importantly, feel safe.
“Members of the community need to play an active role in ensuring that criminals are removed from society by not only giving information to the police, but coming forward to give statements that may assist in the finalisation of cases’’, said General Zuma.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
