Pretoria - Provincial commissioner of police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, has welcomed the arrest of one of the province’s most wanted suspects who was sought for violent crimes.
Joint efforts by officers from Mpumalanga and Gauteng resulted in the arrest of the 21-year-old man, who was already in police cells in Gauteng after being arrested in Pretoria for unlawful possession of firearms with ammunition.
“This is through a collaboration between the SAPS members from Gauteng's crime intelligence, Pretoria West, Mpumalanga's anti-gang unit and the tracing unit, which led the tracing and arrest of one of the most wanted suspects on Friday, 11 February 2022,” said Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala.
He said the most wanted man was found in custody last week for unlawful possession of firearms with ammunition.
“This development came as a breakthrough after the suspect was sought by police in connection with several crimes committed in Bushbuckridge, Calcutta, as well as Kanyamazane,” said Mohlala.
“These cases include, among others, 14 counts of murder, assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm, arson, burglaries, pointing with a firearm, kidnapping, malicious damage to property, house robbery and rape.”
He said one of the murder cases involves a pregnant woman from Marite, who was fatally shot and killed before her body was dumped into the Crocodile River at Kanyamazane, Mpumalanga.
“Her lifeless body was retrieved on 22 August 2021. The suspect is linked to the said cases and is expected to appear before the Bushbuckridge, Mkhuhlu and Kanyamazane Magistrate's Court respectively between Monday, 14 February 2022, and Wednesday, 16 February 2022,” said Mohlala.
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