Cape Town - After evading the police for more than a year, three men suspected of having doused three teenagers in petrol before setting them alight were arrested on Thursday morning, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) police said.
“KwaMashu detectives, assisted by the Inanda Tactical Response Team, made a breakthrough when they arrested three suspects who were on the run for more than a year,” said KZN police spokesperson Jay Naicker.
The three suspects - aged between 21 and 25 years - are suspected of murdering Vusi Biyeal (19), Anele Kubheka (18), and Sithembiso Makhathini (18).
Police believe the suspects, who cannot be named until they appear in court, were part of a larger group of people who attempted to rob Biyeal, Kubheka, and Makhathini on March 21 last year.
“The suspects demanded cash from their victims and the victims indicated that they did not have any cash on them,” said Naicker. The suspects then allegedly stole a five litre container of petrol from the victims, poured it on the three teens, and set them alight.
The teens sustained serious burn wounds and died in hospital shortly after the incident.
Officers found one of the victim's cellphones at the KwaMashu Men's Hostel where the suspects were arrest.
The suspects will appear at the Ntuzuma Magistrate's Court on Friday where they face three counts of murder.
ANA