Four nabbed for kidnapping and murder of Hawks police officer

Police have made a major breakthrough and arrested four people in connection with the murder of Hawks police officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Sikhetho Mawila.

Mawila’s remains were found in an open field in Tsakane last week.

Arrests

Police said the suspects aged between 23 and 44 were handcuffed in the early hours of Wednesday by the Hawks, Gauteng Traffic’s Special Law Enforcement Unit, and Ekurhuleni Metro Police’s Saturation Task Team.

Spokesperson Colonel Philani Nkwalase said the suspects are allegedly linked to the murder, kidnapping and carjacking of 63-year-old Mawila.

“The family of the deceased last spoke to him on 6 January 2024, when he was travelling to Durban, where he works and reported him missing.

“The joint operation made by a multidisciplinary team resulted in the arrest and seizure of a cellphone, a laptop belonging to the deceased, a service pistol with live ammunition, car jack, a wallet, a pair of running shoes, a suitcase, keys, a cooler box as well as a knife. The hijacked vehicle was found burnt,” said Nkwalase.

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Court appearance

Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya, the national head of the Directorate for Priority Crime investigation applauded the collaborative work of law enforcement agencies.

“We appreciate the efforts and the speed within which the joint team made the arrest, ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to justice to account for their conduct.”

Nkwalase said the suspects are expected to make their first appearance in the Tsakane Magistrate’s Court, on Friday, 19 January 2024, facing preliminary charges of murder, kidnapping and hijacking. 

Meanwhile, KwaZulu-Natal police arrested over 10 000 suspects for various crimes in the province in December.

Police said improved police visibility, amplified resources allocation and targeted police operations did not only manage to prevent major crimes from happening, but also ensured that wanted suspects were traced and arrested.

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