Pretoria – A member of the South African Police Service, attached to the Limpopo provincial crime intelligence unit, 58-year-old Lieutenant Colonel Tshitereke Freddie Masuvhelele, was killed during an alleged business robbery.
Masuvhelele was gunned down in the alleged business robbery that occurred at Masuvhelele Enterprise, situated at Malonga village under the Vuwani policing area on Friday night, according to Limpopo SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo.
“It is alleged that the deceased’s two sons were about to close the shop when two unknown male suspects entered and pointed the duo with firearms and robbed them of a cash amount of money as well as Samsung Galaxy A20 cellphone while the deceased was behind the shop busy feeding the cattle,” said Mojapelo.
“Afterwards, he apparently saw his sons running away while screaming and decided to go inside the shop to investigate and subsequently met one of the three suspects who was waiting outside. The suspect reportedly shot him several times.”
After the robbery, the assailants fled the scene in a white VW Polo, with an unknown Gauteng province registration, as well as a Toyota Run-X.
“The police and members of the emergency medical services were summoned, and they found the body of the deceased with several gunshot wounds,” said Mojapelo.
Meanwhile, Limpopo provincial commissioner of police, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has expressed “deep sadness” over the killing of Masuvhelele.
Hadebe, who has visited the crime scene with other senior management of the SAPS in Limpopo, has ordered a 72-hour activation plan to track down the suspects.
The SAPS has appealed to community members with information that can lead to the arrest of the criminals to contact Lieutenant Colonel Hillman Matumba on 0714816876, the Crime Stop number 0860 010 111, report at the nearest police station, or use the MySAPSApp.
IOL