Two men wanted for the murder of a Cape Town Law Enforcement and Advancement Project (LEAP) officer were arrested yesterday.
Also read: SAPS arrest 1 of the 3 men linked to LEAP officers’ murders
According to JP Smith, the City’s Mayco member for safety and security, senior detectives from the Provincial Serious and Violent Crimes unit and members from Crime Intelligence made a breakthrough in the case that has been underway since May last year, when 25-year-old Siphelo Magwa was shot in a vehicle while off duty.
He worked as a LEAP officer at the time of the incident and was attached to the Mitchells Plain unit.
‘Our LEAP officers serve in some of the most dangerous areas, performing hundreds of arrests each year. Confiscating thousands of drugs and hundreds of firearms, they arrest some of the most dangerous criminals who terrorise our communities each day,’ says Smith.
‘I promised Officer Magwa’s family and his colleagues within the directorate, that we would do our utmost to bring his killers to justice.’
During a close collaboration between City of Cape Town officials and members of the South African Police Service, three suspects were identified. Two were in custody, and one succumbed to his injuries during a shootout whilst trying to apprehend him. Another two were still at large.
Yesterday, Khangelani ‘KG’ Mbobo and Lindikhaya ‘Whitey’ Mbeki, both between the ages of 30 and 35, were arrested. They will appear in the Athlone Magistrates’ Court on Monday on numerous charges relating to the death of Officer Magwa.
‘I [appreciate] the hard work and dedication put in by all the members involved and while nothing can bring back the life of Officer Magwa, this must send a strong message to those who threaten any of us trying to hold the line,’ says Smith.
‘We will not rest or give up hunting you down. To Officer Magwa, rest in peace.’
Also read:
Police ask for help finding three men linked to LEAP officer’s murder
Picture: JP Smith / Facebook