While 35 police officers were murdered in the second quarter of the 2023/2024 financial year, 37 arrests were made, of which 10 were for older cases.
Hawks head Lt-Gen Godfrey Lebeya says of the 10 who have been sentenced, five were sentenced to life imprisonment and a combined 391 years' imprisonment.
Lebeya was briefing media on the Hawks' successes during the second quarter.
In one of the cases, the wife of a murdered policeman and a hitman were sentenced.
On August 27 2020, W/O Phiwayinkosi Magwaza, 59, stationed at Melmoth SAPS, was at his home in KwaMagwaza Reserve, Melmoth, when unknown gunmen shot him dead.
Lebeya said Magwaza was robbed of his service firearm.
On September 10 2020, the Hawks arrested his wife Senelisiwe Cebisile (Mpungose) Magwaza, 27. A week later, on September 17, Bafana Biyela, 42, who is a hitman, was arrested in KwaMashu hostel where he was found in possession of the officer's service pistol.
The KwaZulu-Natal High Court sitting at Mtunzini sentenced Magwaza and Biyela on July 25 2023.
Biyela was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, 15 years for robbery and 15 years for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The wife was sentenced to 25 years' imprisonment for murder and three years for defeating the ends of justice. The sentences will run concurrently.
In another case, the Johannesburg high court found a Lesotho national, Molefe Rapooie, guilty of the murder of Sgt Lasi Max Siweya, who was killed at Muzikinya hostel, Reiger Park, Boksburg, while investigating a murder case.
The officer's relative was also injured.
Rapooie was sentenced to life imprisonment, 10 years for the attempted murder of the relative, 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances and six months for contravention of the Immigration Act. The sentences will run concurrently.
Meanwhile, 40 suspects were arrested for kidnapping-related charges and 11 victims were rescued by a multidisciplinary kidnapping task team.
TimesLIVE
Hawks clamp down on cop killers
Image: Sandile Ndlovu
While 35 police officers were murdered in the second quarter of the 2023/2024 financial year, 37 arrests were made, of which 10 were for older cases.
Hawks head Lt-Gen Godfrey Lebeya says of the 10 who have been sentenced, five were sentenced to life imprisonment and a combined 391 years' imprisonment.
Lebeya was briefing media on the Hawks' successes during the second quarter.
In one of the cases, the wife of a murdered policeman and a hitman were sentenced.
On August 27 2020, W/O Phiwayinkosi Magwaza, 59, stationed at Melmoth SAPS, was at his home in KwaMagwaza Reserve, Melmoth, when unknown gunmen shot him dead.
Lebeya said Magwaza was robbed of his service firearm.
On September 10 2020, the Hawks arrested his wife Senelisiwe Cebisile (Mpungose) Magwaza, 27. A week later, on September 17, Bafana Biyela, 42, who is a hitman, was arrested in KwaMashu hostel where he was found in possession of the officer's service pistol.
The KwaZulu-Natal High Court sitting at Mtunzini sentenced Magwaza and Biyela on July 25 2023.
Biyela was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, 15 years for robbery and 15 years for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The wife was sentenced to 25 years' imprisonment for murder and three years for defeating the ends of justice. The sentences will run concurrently.
In another case, the Johannesburg high court found a Lesotho national, Molefe Rapooie, guilty of the murder of Sgt Lasi Max Siweya, who was killed at Muzikinya hostel, Reiger Park, Boksburg, while investigating a murder case.
The officer's relative was also injured.
Rapooie was sentenced to life imprisonment, 10 years for the attempted murder of the relative, 15 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances and six months for contravention of the Immigration Act. The sentences will run concurrently.
Meanwhile, 40 suspects were arrested for kidnapping-related charges and 11 victims were rescued by a multidisciplinary kidnapping task team.
TimesLIVE
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