Kimberley - Drugs with an estimated street value of R2 million have been discovered at a house belonging to a man who was abducted and murdered in Kimberley just over a week ago.
John Phindile “Pizza” Olifant, 73, was strangled to death after being abducted when he pulled into the driveway of his home in Kimberley on the evening of September 24.
According to the police, a passer-by found Olifant’s body, with his feet and hands bound, near a sewage pump in Galeshewe on September 25.
He had apparently been robbed of an “undisclosed amount of money”.
Police spokesman Captain Olebogeng Tawana confirmed on Monday that four men believed to be linked to the “gruesome murder” of Olifant had been arrested.
“One of the four suspects was arrested in Weenen, KwaZulu-Natal, after being found in possession of the vehicle which belonged to the deceased, while another three suspects were arrested in Galeshewe,” Tawana said.
“During the investigation, the police followed up on information which led to the arrest of three suspects in Galeshewe. They recovered two unlicensed firearms, which were found in possession of the suspects, and money, which the deceased was allegedly robbed of.”
Tawana added that the suspects, aged between 28 and 35 years, were facing multiple charges, including murder, aggravated robbery, theft of a motor vehicle and possession of unlicensed firearms.
They are expected to appear in the Galeshewe Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
Police also confirmed a “major breakthrough” when they confiscated drugs, with an estimated street value of R2 million, from a house in Kirstenhof, on Saturday evening.
A visit to the house on Monday revealed that this was indeed Olifant’s house, although family members present at the house denied any knowledge of the drug bust by the police.
According to police spokesman Colonel Mohale Ramatseba, the discovery and confiscation of the drugs were made possible by Kimberley Crime Intelligence information.
“The information led the Flying Squad to a yard, situated in 3 Veld Street, Kimberley, on Saturday evening. The yard was thoroughly searched by alert Flying Squad members and eight containers were found hidden in the drain. A total of six 20-litre and one 25-litre containers containing dagga were found as well as one 20-litre container filled with mandrax tablets,” Ramatseba said on Monday.
During the DFA’s visit to the house on Monday, a family member of Olifant, Lindiwe Malunga, denied any knowledge of the drug bust. She described Olifant as a “very well-known figure throughout the whole of Kimberley”, an “oasis of humbleness”, a “visionary” and a man with a “heart of gold”.
She added that Olifant was a pensioner.
While police said on Monday that “no one has been linked (to the drug bust) as yet” and police investigations were continuing, it has been alleged that Olifant’s family informed the police about the massive amount of drugs hidden in the yard following his death.
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