Seventh suspect linked to murder of Eastern Cape cop nabbed

A seventh suspect linked to the murder of a police officer in the Eastern Cape has been arrested and is due to appear in court with his co-accused.

Simphiwe Mlinjani, 44, will join six suspects in the dock on Monday, including the murdered cop’s wife, in an alleged ‘murder-for-hire’ case.

Mlinjani was apprehended by the Hawks on Wednesday and made his first brief appearance at the Butterworth Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

Alleged murder plot

The slain Warrant Officer Kulu, who was attached to the Centane Saps, was fatally shot at his home in Ndabakazi, Buttershood on 30 August 2021.

Investigations into his murder revealed that the police officer’s wife had allegedly conspired to kill him by hiring a group of six men from Queenstown. 

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It was further found that the plan to kill Kulu was hatched a year prior to his killing.

‘Murdered for insurance cover’

Police spokesperson, Captain Yolisa Mgolodela, said after the suspects were arrested in October 2021, they outed the wife as being the alleged mastermind behind the murder.

They claimed that the woman had promised to pay them R1 million from her husband’s life insurance cover if they killed him.

“The suspects are alleged to have been approached with the hope of getting a payment of R1 million from the pay-out of the would-be deceased’s life cover should the murder be successful,” Mgolodela said in a statement.

Since October last year, the police were looking for the recently arrested seventh suspect with no luck.

Mlinjani was being traced by an investigating officer from March this year until on Wednesday when he was eventually arrested.

The suspect was arrested en route to Whittlesea in the Eastern Cape from Outshoorn where he had been residing lately.

The group is facing charges of conspiracy to commit murder, police killing, illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The accused are set to appear at the Butterworth Regional Court on Monday.

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