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The hijacking and murder of a Mpumalanga district official has led to the arrest of five male suspects from Mozambique.
Nkangala District Municipality communications manager David “Sombu” Masombuka was found dead in bushes near a fuel station in Witbank, Mpumalanga over the weekend.
The five are expected to appear at Emalahleni Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, facing multiple charges, including murder, hijacking, and possession of suspected stolen properties.
According to Colonel Donald Mdhluli, the South African Police Services (Saps) is working with the Department of Home Affairs to determine the suspects’ immigration status.
This could potentially add charges related to contravention of the Immigration Act.
Concerns over Masombuka’s whereabouts arose when he failed to arrive at a municipal meeting in Witbank on Sunday after driving from Kwamhlanga in KwaZulu-Natal.
His family tried to get hold of him without any luck and reported him missing at Kwamhlanga Police Station.
A tracking company later located the victim’s vehicle near a fuel station in Witbank. Police intercepted the car, where they found the five suspects.
Details around the murder and how it was committed have not yet been released.
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Police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli said the suspects were found with personal items believed to belong to Masombuka during their arrest.
Further investigation by the police led to the discovery of the victim’s body.
Acting Provincial Commissioner of the Saps in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi, strongly condemned the incident while praising the collaborative efforts of the tracker company and the police.
“The collaboration between the tracker company and Saps members was instrumental in bringing the suspects to justice. We await the legal process to unfold and seek justice for the slain victim.”
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