Gauteng police have arrested six suspects in connection with the hijacking and murder of Kaizer Chiefs defender Luke Fleurs.
Detectives make a breakthrough
Gauteng police spokesperson Lt-Col Mavela Masondo said the arrest came after a team of senior detectives was appointed by Gauteng police provincial commissioner Lt-Gen Tommy Mthombeni to trace and arrest the suspects who allegedly hijacked and killed Fleurs. The top sleuths made a breakthrough by arresting six suspects and recovering the victim’s car.
Masondo said the six suspects were traced and arrested in Slovoville, Soweto, in the early hours of Wednesday, April 10.
He said Fleurs’ luxurious red VW Golf 8 GTI vehicle was already stripped off its part when it was recovered on April 8.
“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,” said Masondo.
Masondo said the team is led by Gauteng police deputy provincial commissioner responsible for crime detection, Maj-Gen Mbuso Khumalo.
The team, which consists of the tracking team, SAPS provincial investigation unit, SAPS national crime intelligence, SAPS drone unit, Honeydew detectives, Honeydew crime intelligence, CAP special operations, and Fidelity specialised services, has been working around the clock to ensure that the suspects are arrested and brought to justice.
They will appear in court on Friday
Masondo said the six suspects are expected to appear at the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Last week Wednesday, Fleurs was shot and killed by two armed men at the Shell petrol station at Constantia service centre in Florida, Roodepoort, Johannesburg.
Police said the incident happened around 8:30pm on the corner of Hendrik Potgieter and 14th Avenue.
Mthombeni appointed a team of seasoned detectives from the provincial office to investigate and search for the suspects behind Fleurs’ hijacking and murder.
Attacked at a filling station
Police said Fleurs drove a red VW Golf 8 GTI into the petrol station in 14th Avenue, corner Hendrik Potgieter. While waiting to be served by the petrol attendant, he was confronted by two armed males who came driving a white BMW 1 Series.
The suspects pointed at him with a firearm and took him out of his vehicle, then shot him once on the upper body. One suspect drove off with Fleurs’ car, followed by his accomplices.
Police said Fleurs was taken to the nearest medical care centre, where he was certified dead on arrival.
Police opened a case of murder and car hijacking for investigation.
Last week, Sunday World exclusively reported how the video footage obtained by police from the petrol station depicts Fleurs engaging in a fierce battle with the two armed men to stop them from stealing his luxurious red VW Golf 8 GTI.
But it was all in vain, as they fatally shot him at close range in the upper body.
The footage shows four people travelling in a white BMW 1 Series following Fleurs as he drove into the petrol station.
The four were wearing balaclavas and caps.
Fleurs was with two other passengers when the murder happened. The two passengers escaped unharmed.
Fleurs joined Chiefs in October after previously playing for SuperSport United.
After weeks training with the Amakhosi, Fleurs penned a two-year deal with an option to renew at the end of his contract with the Phefeni Glamour Boys.
