The brutal murder of a police officer has been strongly condemned by the Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela. As a result the Commissioner activated a multidisciplinary approach to find the killer(s) of the member who was stationed at Kabokweni SAPS.
Mandlenkosi Happy Thwala, aged (45) was found dead by a neighbour, in Gedlembane, Pienaar on the morning of Wednesday 3 August 2022, around 07:30.
According to information, police in Pienaar were called to attend to a scene where a neighbour, alleges that she received a call from the mother of the member, requesting the neighbour to check on her son as she is suspecting that her son might have been murdered.
Upon the police’s arrival, they found him motionless, laying in his bed with visible gunshot wounds on his body. He was shot five times allegedly with his service pistol, two times on the head and three times on his upper body.
The Medical Service were summoned to the scene, unfortunately he was certified dead. There were also two cartridges found on the floor and his vehicle, green VW Polo Classic (DSV 112 MP) as well as his service firearm and cellphone was missing but later discovered abandoned in the bushes.
A murder case with additional charge of robbery was opened for investigation.
As police were still in shock upon what has happened, a passer-by approached them (police) whilst conducting a road block at Newscom in Pienaar. The person indicated to the members that he saw a firearm next to the road, few metres from the roadblock. It was later discovered that the firearm was the one that belonged to the deceased.
A 29-year-old suspect (woman) has been arrested within 24 hours at Dayizenza hiding at her boyfriend’s house.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has further vowed that the police in partnership with the community will work together to ensure that the perpetrators of this haneous crime are soon brought to book. “We like to send our sincere condolences to the family of our member. We are very much concerned about the killing of members more especially at Kabokweni area since the past months. The ones that committed this barbaric act should be put where they belong before taking another life. We shall never rest until we achieve this,” said Lieutenant General Manamela.
