Durban metro cop killings: police hunting for more suspects

Police are searching for more suspects in the killing of two Durban metro cops.

This was revealed in an affidavit by W/O David Cele, the investigating officer, in the murders of Sgt Zephinia Dladla and Const Sonto Mhlanga, two Durban metro police who were gunned down while standing guard outside the home of Ward 52 councillor Moses Zulu in Bhambayi, near Phoenix, last month. The cops were also robbed of their firearms.

Cele’s affidavit was read out during the bail application of one of the accused, Musawenkosi Ndebele, at the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday where he appeared alongside his two co-accused, Bonginkosi Msomi and Thamsanqa Mabaso.

Nokululeko Zuma, the fourth accused, was not in court as he was being treated at the Westville Prison hospital.

“There are still outstanding suspects that need to be traced and brought in,” Cele said in a statement.

Ndebele was released on R2,000 bail which was unopposed by the state.

When the matter resumed after the lunch break, Msomi, via a written affidavit read out by his lawyer Mondli Mthethwa, told the court that police were aware of the real perpetrators.

"The people who committed this crime are known to the state, they know that I was nowhere near the robbery or the murder," he said.

Mthethwa, a Legal Aid attorney, and the state prosecutor appeared to have had the rug pulled from under their feet when Mabaso's lawyer, Thembelihle Manzi, opted to put his client on the witness stand as opposed to reading out an affidavit.

During Mabaso's short testimony he indicated that Msomi was one of several people who had hired him to drive them to Bhambayi.

"May the matter be rolled over to tomorrow so that I can prepare my cross-examination? Up until an hour ago, we were under the impression that Mr Manzi would read out his client's affidavit,” said Mthwethwa.

Msomi and Mabaso’s bail application will resume on Friday.