PE police arrest ‘most wanted man’ for robbery and three murders

Police officers have arrested one of Port Elizabeth’s most wanted suspects. The suspect was sought for three murder cases in the KwaDwesi and Motherwell areas. He is also suspected of involvement in an armed robbery.

Eastern Cape police have arrested one of Port Elizabeth’s “most wanted suspects” who was sought in connection with four cases – one robbery and three murders.

“A combined operation to track down one of Port Elizabeth’s most wanted suspects paid off when he was arrested on Thursday, 29 October 2020 by Crime Intelligence and the provincial organised crime investigation [officials],” police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said in a statement.

The robbery occurred at about 17:00 on 4 September when a 39-year-old man was standing in the driveway of his friend’s house. Four men arrived in a black VW Polo and held them at gunpoint. They took the man’s BMW keys, two cellphones, some cash and two pistols. A 27-year-old suspect was arrested, appeared in court and was released, said Naidu.

The first murder incident the man was sought for occurred 18 days after the robbery, on 22 September. Police were summoned to a the scene in Mzwandile Street in Joe Slovo. The bullet-riddled body of Maguda Fezani, 35, was found lying outside his Toyota Avanza, Naidu added.

Two days later, at about 20:20, Thembela Puzi, 31, was shot and killed in Nyamazane, also in Joe Slovo. A group of unknown males chased him and shot him.

Days later, on 28 September, the body of Sinethemba Nyandini, 35, was found lying in Ngwenkala Street in NU 9 in Motherwell at about 21:45. He also sustained multiple gunshot wounds.

On Thursday, at about 16:00, provincial organised crime intelligence officers and Crime Intelligence followed up on information that the suspect was in the vicinity of the New Law Courts in Port Elizabeth.

“On spotting the police, a chase ensued. The vehicle was eventually stopped in Grattan Street in New Brighton and the suspect was arrested.”

He is expected to appear in the Motherwell Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

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