LIMPOPO – The prompt and swift reaction by members of the South African Police Service in the Tzaneen Cluster, led to the arrest of the assailant involved in the fatal shooting of a 41-year-old man on 12 June 2019 at about 19:30, at Zhangoma village in the Letsitele policing area outside Tzaneen.
The 30-year-old Lesotho national, was nabbed yesterday afternoon at about 15:30 during a sting joint operation conducted by the Tzaneen Detectives, the Tzaneen Cluster Trio Task Team and Members of the Crime Prevention Unit led by Colonel Cecil Machimane.
The members acted on a tip-off from members of the community and positively intercepted the suspect at a local taxi rank allegedly en-route to the Gauteng province. During the arrest, the suspect was found in possession of a revolver firearm, 11 rounds of ammunition, four (04) cell phones and an undisclosed amount of cash believed to be some of the money stolen from the deceased.
The preliminary police investigations have revealed that the recovered firearm was reported missing by the owner in February this year in the Matsulu area in Mpumalanga province. Further investigations will still be conducted to determine whether the firearm was used in the commission of other crimes.
The arrest follows an incident where the deceased Frank Joe Moyo, suspected to be linked to illegal mining, arrived at a house in Zanghoma village from the Carnival City in the Gauteng province to pay his illegal mining “employees”.
The man was still outside the house talking to some of the employees when an unknown suspect entered the yard, shot him and fled on foot with his cellphone and an undisclosed amount of money. The deceased was certified dead on the scene.
The motive for the killing is still unknown at this stage.
The suspect will appear before the Nkowankowa Magistrate Court on Tuesday 18 June 2019, to face charges of murder, robbery, possession of suspected stolen properties and possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba has commended the Saps Tzaneen Cluster Commander Major General Maggy Mathebula and her team in implementing the National standard on 72 hours activation plan for working tirelessly in ensuring the perpetrator is tracked down within 24 hours. The General further praised the community members for their continuous support in providing valuable, quality and positive information to the police which led to this arrest.
Police make a swift arrest in the fatal shooting of man https://t.co/JvjkK8UQZd #ArriveAlive #FatalShooting @SAPoliceService pic.twitter.com/a1jwKJsill
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) June 14, 2019