Gauteng police have detained six suspects linked to the murder of Kaizer Chiefs soccer player Luke Fleurs. The arrest followed an alleged car hijacking incident that tragically ended in Fleurs’ death.
Luke Fleurs murder update: Six suspects in custody
On Wednesday, in a coordinated operation involving crime intelligence officers, six individuals were captured in Soweto’s Slovoville area.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo reported that the arrests took place simultaneously with the recovery of Fleurs’ stolen vehicle, a red VW Golf 8 GTI, which had been stripped for parts by Monday.
Masondo highlighted that these arrests are part of a larger effort to dismantle a syndicate believed to be behind a series of car hijackings across the Gauteng region.
“Police believe that the suspects are part of a syndicate that is responsible for car hijacking in Gauteng, and the search for more suspects is continuing,” Masondo said.
Fleurs, a 24-year-old promising football talent, met a violent end a week prior when he was attacked at a petrol station in northwest Johannesburg.
After being forcefully removed from his car at gunpoint by assailants in a white BMW 1 Series, he was shot once in the upper body and succumbed to his injuries shortly after, despite receiving immediate medical attention.
When will the suspects appear in court?
The six suspects are scheduled to appear before the Roodepoort Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
The court proceedings will likely provide further details on the involvement of the accused in the broader context of regional car hijacking activities.
Born on 3 March 2000, in Cape Town, Luke Donn Fleurs had established himself as a prominent figure in South African football.
His journey began in Mitchells Plain and later moved to Fish Hoek after joining Ubuntu Cape Town’s academy at the tender age of 13.
Making his National First Division debut at 17, Fleurs quickly showcased his talent, appearing in 18 league games in his debut professional season.
Fleurs’ career trajectory continued upwards as he signed with SuperSport United in the summer of 2018, moving on to join the prestigious ranks of Kaizer Chiefs in October 2023.
Beyond club football, he represented South Africa at under-20 level and was called up to the senior national team, Bafana Bafana, in 2021 and 2022, though he did not receive a cap.