On August 6 2023, Hawks investigator Lieutenant Colonel Frans Mathipa received a call at 12.55pm from a person identified as Tebogo.
Tebogo informed Mathipa that he has information regarding the case that Mathipa is investigating – the alleged kidnapping of Abdella Hussain Abadiga and Kadir Jemal Abotese at the Mall of Africa on December 29 2022.
Mathipa and Tebogo then agreed to meet at a petrol station in Lynwood, Pretoria.
Mathipa arrived at the petrol station and waited for Tebogo, who did not pitch. He left the petrol station around 6pm.
Lured to petrol station, then killed
After Mathipa left the petrol station, a black BMW vehicle without registration plates followed his state vehicle before he was shot and killed a few minutes later by an occupant from the BMW.
After being shot while driving, Mathipa’s vehicle overturned and he died.
This information was revealed on Thursday at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court by the Hawks investigating officer investigating the kidnapping of Abadiga and Abotese, and the murder of Mathipa.
His affidavit was read in court by the state prosecutor to oppose the bail application of 12 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) special force members who were arrested for the kidnapping of Abadiga and Abotese, and the murder of Mathipa.
The 12 SANDF special force members made their third appearance at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court.
The SANDF members are facing charges of kidnapping, murder, fraud, obstructing the administration of justice, making a false statement under oath and theft of a motor vehicle.
The 13th accused in the case is a front company of the Special Forces of the SANDF.
12 SANDF members charged
The charges against the 12 accused stem from the alleged kidnapping of Abadiga and Abotese at the Mall of Africa on December 29 2022. The two were allegedly forced into a motor vehicle and taken to Zwartkop Military Base.
The charges are also in relation to the murder of Mathipa on August 6 2023 on the N1 highway near Hammanskraal, Pretoria.
The court has ordered that the names and pictures of the 12 SANDF members cannot be published. This is because an identity parade has not yet been conducted.
The court also ordered that the state prosecutor and investigating officers must not be named.
During court proceedings on Thursday, the state prosecutor read the investigating officer’s affidavit opposing bail for the 12 accused.
Bail opposed
The 12 accused’s bail affidavits were read in court by their lawyers on Tuesday. They all said they can afford R5000 bail each.
In his affidavit, the investigating officer said Abadiga and Abotese were kidnapped and killed by the 12 accused. They were killed at an unknown location, date and time.
The officer said the whereabouts of Abadiga and Abotese remain unknown to date.
He said Mathipa was killed by the 12 accused because he had obtained a Section 205 subpoena from court to get certain information from the SANDF regarding the kidnapping case he was investigating. A Section 205 allows police investigators to obtain information which is not in the public domain and is classified during the course of their investigation.
He said the device used to lure Mathipa to Lynwood was found in the black BMW vehicle that followed him.
The investigating officer stated in his affidavit that the 12 accused should not be granted bail. He said this is because they have previously threatened and intimidated the investigating officers in the case. And they will do so again if released on bail.
He said on April 18 2024, vehicles that were used in the kidnapping of Abadiga and Abotese were outside the Randburg Magistrate’s Court to monitor the movements of the investigating team in the case.
He added that on December 3 2024, one of the investigating officers in the case left the Randburg Magistrate’s Court. As he was driving, he was accosted by a vehicle that was trying to box him in.
“The [police] member managed to discharge a shot at the vehicle, and he fled. Police crime intelligence established that SANDF members approached a well-known taxi hitman to take the officer out,” said the investigating officer.
Officers’ movements being monitored
The investigating officer said when accused number six was arrested, he told the police officer arresting him that “I know that you live in Roodepoort and Centurion”.
“He also told another police officer that he knows the type of shirts he wears when he is not at work. Thus indicating that the accused monitors the movements of the officer,” said the investigating officer.
The investigating officer said the 12 accused should not be granted bail because the police investigations are still ongoing and there is a possibility of more arrests.
The investigating officer said the 12 accused have the capability to intimidate state witnesses.
“The accused can interfere with investigations and with the state witnesses,” said the investigating officer.
After the prosecutor read the investigating officer’s affidavit, the case was postponed to Friday, July 4. It was postponed for the state and defence to make their arguments in the bail application.
The 12 accused remain in police custody.
