Hawks nab school principal in connection with Umlazi cop killing

A third suspect, a school principal, has been arrested in connection with the assassination of police officer Capt Zwelakhe Thomas Ntombela at his Umlazi home in May.

Hawks KZN spokesperson Lt-Col Simphiwe Mhlongo said their members, together with others from the Durban serious organised crime investigation unit, arrested the man on Friday in connection with Ntombela's death.

Ntombela was shot and killed while arriving at his home on May 3. He was then robbed of his private and service pistols. 

In July, Mzo Ntombela, 27, was arrested by members of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks), working together with national intervention unit, in the Umsinga area where he was hiding.

Ntombela’s firearms were recovered at KwaMaphumulo.

Mzo was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment in August. During his trial he named the policeman's wife, Umlazi magistrate's court employee Nongcebo Ntombela, 43, as the alleged mastermind.

He also named Khulani Cele, 45, who is already serving life imprisonment at New Prison Correctional Services in Pietermaritzburg, as the man who contacted him to execute the policeman.

The wife and prisoner were subsequently arrested and have appeared in court. The 53-year-old principal will appear alongside them in the Umlazi magistrate’s court on Monday.

KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Maj-Gen Lesetja Senona commended the members for the arrest of the additional suspect.

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