CAPE TOWN – Two more teenagers have been arrested in connection with the killing of five young men in Philippi East in Cape Town on June 30, bringing the total number of arrests in the case to five, the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Western Cape said on Sunday.
The efforts of the provincial SAPS integrated team deployed in Philippi East to quell incidents of violent crime paid off with the arrest of the two additional suspects in Khayelitsha on Friday, Brigadier Novela Potelwa said in a statement.
"The team followed up on vital information in the Nkanini informal settlement [in Khayelitsha] where they found the two suspects, both 19 years of age, hiding in a house. They were subsequently arrested on murder charges."
On Thursday, July 9, police swooped on a 20-year-old suspect, also in connection with the Philippi East murders. The first two suspects, aged 18 and 19, were apprehended on Main Road in Delft on Monday, July 6, Potelwa said.
On June 30, seven suspects were alleged to have stormed a house in Block 4 in Philippi East, firing shots randomly at the occupants. Five young men died in the attack.
The arrest of two further suspects on Friday night brought the number of arrested suspects for the Philippi East murders to five. Police were also hot on the heels of a sixth suspect. The latest two arrested suspects were expected to appear in court on Monday, Potelwa said.
In an unrelated incident on Friday night, a swift response by SAPS Maitland flying squad officers resulted in the arrest of five suspects allegedly involved in a business robbery in Observatory, spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said in a statement.
Members of the flying squad followed up information of a VW Jetta that had been involved in a business robbery in Observatory. The car was pulled over in the Athlone area and five suspects, aged 23, 26, 26, 27, and 37, were arrested and detained at Woodstock Police Station.
The officers seized a 9mm Ancus pistol, with the serial number filed off, and one magazine and 10 rounds of ammunition. One suspect was also found in possession of a gas pistol. An undisclosed amount of cash and 10 cellphones were also found in the car and seized.
Further investigation indicated that the car had also been involved in a robbery in Claremont on Thursday, July 9, where a firearm was taken from a security official. The suspects were due to appear in the Cape Town Magistrates' Court on Monday.
In another statement, Van Wyk said a man was also arrested this weekend in connection with an alleged case of pointing a firearm and domestic violence.
"Violence against women and children are on top of the Western Cape SAPS priority list and we will do everything possible to bring perpetrators to book. This was shown again by Milnerton SAPS domestic violence coordinators when they ensured that an offender was brought to book," he said.
Officers went to Milnerton Ridge to serve a protection order on Friday. On their arrival at the given address, the suspect allegedly refused to hand over his legal firearm and also refused to open the firearm safe.
The officers took his firearm safe to Milnerton Police Station where it was opened. Ammunition for different calibres of firearm were found inside the safe. The suspect’s legal firearm, a magazine, and the ammunition were seized.
Last month, a criminal case had also been opened against the 34-year-old suspect. He was arrested and would appear in the Cape Town Magistrates' Court on Monday on charges including pointing a firearm and possession of illegal ammunition, Van Wyk said.