Police arrest three men linked to latest Wentworth murder

The firearm and ammunition recovered during a raid at a teenager’s house in Wentworth. Picture: SAPS

The firearm and ammunition recovered during a raid at a teenager’s house in Wentworth. Picture: SAPS

Published Feb 4, 2021

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DURBAN - Police have arrested three men in connection with a shooting that took place in Croton Road in Wentworth yesterday. A teenager was also arrested and charged after officers recovered a firearm and ammunition at his home during a late night raid.

While residents have welcomed the arrests, they believe those in handcuffs are only runners, and police need to work harder and follow up on intelligence to track down the kingpins.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, Captain Nqobile Gwala, said two men were arrested following the murder of a 27-year-old man in Croton Road.

Gwala said officers responded to a call of a shooting just after midday yesterday.

She added that when officers arrived at the scene, they were told that the man was wounded and the suspects fled the scene.

"The victim sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen and was rushed to hospital. A case of attempted murder was opened for investigation at Wentworth SAPS. The docket has been changed to murder after the victim died in hospital this morning," Gwala said.

She said officers from the Wentworth SAPS, Crime Intelligence, Umlazi K9 Unit and Metro Police followed up information regarding the suspects involved.

"Two suspects, aged 19 and 23, were arrested in the early hours of this morning on Woodville Road. The suspect’s vehicle was seized and impounded for further investigation. A third suspect, aged 24, was arrested this morning for murder. The suspects will appear before the Durban Magistrates Court soon," Gwala said.

Police impounded the suspect’s getaway vehicle. Picture: SAPS

She said in another operation, a 15-year-old boy was arrested after police found an illegal firearm and six rounds of ammunition at his home.

"The suspect was arrested in Woodville Road with a firearm tucked in the front of his waist. The suspect appeared before the Durban Magistrates Court today," she said.

The shooting comes less three weeks after Bradley 'Gooch' Davids was shot dead seconds after getting into his car in Stableford Road on the Bluff. CCTV footage showed Davids getting into his vehicle and a second vehicle drives by, near his home.

His attackers jumped out and shot up Davids's Audi. The men got back into their vehicle and drove off. Davids died at the scene.

Days later, police recovered a bullet-ridden vehicle, used in a drive-by shooting in Woodville Road.

At the time, SAPS spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said detectives from the Provincial Organised Crime Investigations, Crime Intelligence, National Intervention Unit and Metro police proceeded to Wentworth and Montclair to execute a search warrant and a warrant of arrest.

Mbele said the team proceeded to Pirie Road in Wentworth where a search was conducted at a premises. "Upon searching the house, police found a vehicle hidden in the garage with bullet holes and blood stains. No one was in the house, and the vehicle was impounded by police for further investigation. The recovered vehicle is positively linked to a drive-by shooting that was committed on Woodville Road in Wentworth this month," she said.

A resident, who asked not to be named, said he was tired of the ongoing violence in the area.

"We are happy that the cops are doing their jobs, but this is only a drop in the ocean. There are many others walking around with blood on their hands, and their friends and family protect them," he said.

Community activist Desmond D'sa said cops were not "getting the big guys".

D'sa said the kingpins were the ones giving out instructions and those getting arrested were just runners.

"These guys are hiring top lawyers who charge a lot to cover their cases. These we see getting arrested and the ones given drugs and guns to kill. Police need to gather intelligence and go after the boys at the top. There are lots of meetings that take place outside Wentworth," he said.

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