Police launched a manhunt for three criminals after an elderly couple was kidnapped and the husband – a 57-year-old Matjhabeng Municipality employee – fatally shot in Virginia last month.
It is understood the man was at his home watching TV with his family on Saturday night when there was a knock at the door.
Three unknown men entered the house armed with handguns.
Police spokesperson Captain Stephen Thakeng said the victim and his wife were overpowered and tied up with shoelaces.
They were forced into the back of the official municipal bakkie parked in the yard.
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Thakeng said: “They drove with them to an old petrol station in Saaiplaas Virginia. Nothing was done to the wife, but the husband was later found at a dumping site near the old garage.”
According to Thakeng, the man sustained three gunshot wounds to the head, chest and cheek, and his hands were still tied up when the body was found.
“The bakkie belonging to Matjhabeng Municipality was found abandoned at Masimong shaft number 4 mine. Cellphones belonging to the couple were allegedly robbed”, Thakeng added.
He confirmed that the husband was declared dead by EMS personnel at the scene and a case of house robbery, kidnapping and murder was registered for further investigation.
The three murder suspects are still at large.
Thakeng urged anyone with information to contact Detective Constable Khaya Matinisa of Virginia Detective Services or the Police Crime Stop number on 0860010111.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, the Western Cape police have launched a manhunt to track down the gunmen who shot and wounded two off-duty constables.
The incident occurred in Ikhwezi Park in Khayelitsha on Friday night.
Police spokesperson Fredrick van Wyk said the two officers – who were driving a marked police vehicle at the time – stopped at a set of traffic lights before being shot at.
“The assistance of the Khayelitsha community sought in identifying and locating the unknown suspects who attacked the two police constables in Khayelitsha.
“The 72-hour activation plan has been ordered for the arrest of the suspects,” said van Wyk.
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