Gauteng police have made a breakthrough in the case involving the brutal killing of six patrollers at Marry Me informal settlement in Soshanguve, Pretoria.
A multidisciplinary team of law enforcement agencies apprehended two suspects in the area on Monday.
Members of the Hawks’ tactical operations management section in Pretoria, along with the Tshwane K9 unit, Akasia crime prevention, Tshwane Akasia crime intelligence, public order policing, Tshwane district serious violent crime, and the Pretoria North local criminal record centre, arrested the two individuals aged between 27 and 50.
Guns and ammunition seized
This follows the weekend killings of six individuals in the area who were thought to be patrollers. Another seven patrol members are in the hospital, fighting for their lives.
The Hawks say they were notified on Monday that a group of suspects were committing multiple murders and attempted murders at the Marry Me informal settlement.
Police tracked down the initial suspect and located him in Shanghai Extension 20.
Authorities disclosed that upon reaching the suspect’s residence, they found a firearm — a 9MM Girsan — complete with ammunition and filed-off serial numbers.
“The police proceeded to the second address in Shanghai Extension 6, where the second suspect was arrested,” said Hawks’ spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Christopher Singo.
“During the arrest, the suspect was found in possession of 9mm CZ with ammunition, and its serial number was also filed off.”
Suspects linked to February murders
According to Singo, the suspects were found to be connected to February murders and home invasions.
“Both the suspects are expected to appear before the Pretoria North magistrate’s court on Wednesday on charges of murder, attempted murder, and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
“The firearms will be subjected to ballistic testing to ascertain whether they had been involved in other serious crimes in Gauteng,” Singo added.
The arrests took place a day after Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi visited the area. Lesufi pledged that efforts were underway to bring the offenders to justice.
He disclosed that the detectives were busy with investigations and that he was in contact with the police commissioner in the province.
Senzo Mchunu, the Minister of Police, also visited the informal settlement on Tuesday morning.
