The Hawks have now taken over the Mayfair mosque shooting case in which a worshipper died under a hail of bullets shortly after praying.
The 40 year old Ethiopian businessman was shot and killed on Tuesday just as soon as he left the mosque where he had gone for evening prayers.
Allegations on social media were that his killing was a hit while others said it was due to faction fight between two groups of foreigners.
The scene of this evenings shooting outside the Mayfair Mosque in Johannesburg. One person was killed and another wounded. Unconfirmed reports say the shooting is related to a faction fight between two groups of foreigners. #CrimeWatch pic.twitter.com/tSt8jJNpCc
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) January 22, 2019
However, Captain Tsietsi Phora said all they do as the police was to stick to facts and that they wont be commenting on allegations that have not been proven.
"We wont entertain them," he said.
The Ethiopian man was leaving the mosque after 7pm and going to his car when two men approached him.
"They started shooting at him. He ran and they chased after him, shooting at him as he ran. He tried to run back into the mosque but they shot him and he fell. Even when he was lying on the ground they went to him and shot him," Phora said.
Although Phora could not say just how many shots had been fired at the guy and how many hit him, all he was able to say was that "he was shot several times."
According to Phora, the gunmen had approached the deceased from the parking lot and it seemed as if they had been waiting for him next to his car.
An Oromo mam named Mohamed Amin was shot dead outside Juma Mosque in Mayfair . The shooting take place at the parking of Juma Mosque right after evening prayer The deceased was a member of the Oromo community and business man. The culprits escaped the scene before police arrived. pic.twitter.com/tcEUrNk8Hz
— Hassan Abdullahi Aalim (@Hamaalin) January 22, 2019
At the time of the shooting, Phora said, many people were coming out of the mosque at the end of the prayers and they scattered when they heard the gunshots, running for cover.
One of the worshippers, however, was caught in the commotion and shot in the leg while trying to flee.
The Hawks' Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi confirmed that the docket had indeed been referred to them. He said it was too early to tell the reason they docket had been referred to them but said it could be that the killing may be linked to organised crime.
The gunmen are still at large.