Two men arrested for the attempted assassination of South African Revenue Services (SARS) forensic investigator Advocate Coreth Naude were allegedly ‘imported’ from Cape Town, the Durban Magistrate’s Court revealed on Monday, Cape {town} Etc reports.
Siyanda Emmanuel Mbulwana, 29, from Bellview Estate, and Mcebisi Runeyi, 28, from Portland, were apprehended in Cape Town and charged with attempted murder after they ambushed Naude in Durban in July.
Naude, who was investigating a high-profile tax evasion case involving businesswoman Shauwn ‘MaMkhize’ Mkhize, was attacked while driving into the Premier Hotel in Durban. The suspects opened fire on her, but Naude managed to drive into the hotel where she received emergency medical attention before being rushed to the hospital. The attackers fled the scene in a silver Toyota Corolla.
Following the attack, the Provincial Serious and Violent Crime: Murder and Robbery Unit launched an extensive investigation, which led them to Cape Town. Police tracked the suspects to Mitchells Plain and Milnerton, where they were hiding. The swift arrest was hailed as a breakthrough in the case.
The attempted murder was linked to Naude’s investigation into Mkhize, who had recently been targeted by the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Assets Forfeiture Unit. Several of Mkhize’s luxury assets, including properties and expensive cars, were seized in connection with an alleged tax evasion scheme.
SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter condemned the attack, calling it an attempt to intimidate SARS officers from continuing their work. He emphasized that the assault would not deter SARS from its mission to combat corruption and financial crime in South Africa.
Mbulwana and Runeyi, remanded in custody, are due for a formal bail hearing next Monday. The case highlights the risks faced by investigators working on sensitive cases involving powerful figures and the ongoing battle against financial crime in the country.
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Picture: SAPS/X
