Suspect arrested for murder of Irishman John Curran

A suspect has been arrested for the murder of Irishman John Curran, who was stabbed to death in his Cape Town apartment on November 7, Western Cape police have confirmed.

Police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana said a 24-year-old man had been arrested in Voortrekker road on Friday night and was expected to appear on Monday in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court, where he is facing a charge of murder.

Sixty-year-old Curran was the former education director of Mellon Educate, a non-profit organisation which works with the government to improve the quality of education at under-resourced schools.

He was reportedly found in a pool of blood by his girlfriend in his  Buitengracht Street flat in the Cape Town CBD. Only his cellphone was missing, according to police.

Irish media reported that Curran had just completed a two-year contract with the Ireland-based African development charity and that he was on holiday in Cape Town for a number of weeks. He was due to return to Dublin within a few days. 

Provincial police commissioner for the Western Cape Lieutenant-General Khombinkosi Jula commended police investigators “for their dedication and living up to their mandate to bring the perpetrators to justice”.