Cape Town – Grassy Park cops shocked the Wynberg Magistrate's Court yesterday when they arrested an alleged gang hitman as he stood in the dock.
The 22-year-old man got a huge fright as officers walked into the courtroom and informed Magistrate Goolam Bawa that they were there to arrest the suspect for killing a 19-year-old boy on Monday.
The man, who is an alleged hitman for the Mongrels gang and is currently out on bail for a murder case dating back to December 2019, was seen crying as Captain Ashley Petersen and his team marched him out of the court and took him to the police station.
Grassy Park station commander Colonel Dawood Laing says the suspect was first arrested in Parkwood in December for the murder of a 40-year-old gangster and the investigating officers were left disappointed when he was granted bail.
The driver of the bakkie that was used in the alleged shooting was charged. Picture: Supplied / SAPS
On Monday night, police were called to a canal in Ottery where they found the dead 19-year-old with multiple gunshot wounds to his body.
Laing says: “The teen had a Nice Time Kids tjappie (tattoo) on his body but he was walking with a 25-year-old male who is a member of the Yuru Cats gang who was only injured in the shooting.
“The hitman will return to court on Thursday on charges of murder and attempted murder and we are appealing to the court to keep him inside this time.”
Mikhail Amos Picture: Supplied
Meanwhile, Grassy Park cops also made a breakthrough in the murder case of popular soccer player Mikhail Amos, 24, who was killed in a drive-by shooting in Dove Road just over a week ago.
Mikhail was chatting with friends in the street when gunmen in a white bakkie randomly opened fire on residents.
Laing says they had traced the owner of the bakkie: “The owner did not know they were going to use the bakkie to go and shoot and was not implicated in the murder.
“The driver was found and arrested and will appear in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court (today), where he faces murder charges.
“We are still looking for the shooters and call on the community to come forward with information.”