In a significant breakthrough for law enforcement, authorities have successfully captured a notorious criminal kingpin who has been at the centre of a string of murders in the Sekhukhune District.
Sekhukhune most-wanted kingpin arrested: Here’s everything we know
The 23-year-old male suspect wanted for a series of crimes committed between August 2021 and June 2023, was apprehended during a meticulously executed operation named “Kukula.”
The joint operation, led by the Nebo Tracing Team, Detectives, Jane Furse Police, and the Lebowakgomo Crime Intelligence Unit, unfolded on Wednesday, 14 June 2023, continuing into the early hours of Thursday, 15 June 2023.
Acting on valuable information received, the police pinpointed the suspect’s location in the Jane Furse area, spotting him as he walked along a public road.
Upon realising that he was being pursued, the suspect attempted to evade arrest and sprinted away, triggering a chase by the determined law enforcement officers.
A massive search operation was launched in the vicinity, eventually leading to the suspect’s arrest at a clandestine hideout concealed within a sugarcane plantation.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that the apprehended individual is linked to multiple cases in Masemola, Nebo, Rossenekal, and Jane Furse, which encompass crimes such as business robbery, possession of an unlicensed firearm, carjacking, house robbery, and possession of the stolen property.
During the operation, the police successfully recovered six cell phones believed to be owned by the victims, along with an empty magazine and a Sony PlayStation Game.
This evidence provides crucial support for the ongoing investigation into the suspect’s criminal activities and his potential involvement in other cases.
Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, the Provincial Commissioner of South African police in Limpopo, expressed her appreciation for the dedicated efforts of the law enforcement officers involved in the operation.
“The tremendous work of the man and woman in blue reaffirms our commitment to our communities that we shall relentlessly reclaim our streets from criminals for the safety of our people. Let the courts help us to the perpetrator and his accomplices from our communities as they don’t deserve freedom,” she said.
The captured suspect is expected to appear before the Nebo Magistrate Court in the near future, where the full extent of his alleged crimes will be brought to light.
Meanwhile, police investigations are ongoing as authorities work diligently to gather additional evidence and bring all responsible parties to justice.