The lead investigator in the Emmanuel Mbhense killing has told the Madlanga commission she is confident she will secure a conviction when the matter goes to court.
Investigative Police Independent Directorate (Ipid) investigator Nomsa Masuku told the commission that they don’t arrest to investigate but to secure conviction, adding that she understands the frustration caused by the delay in the case.
“It was worth it [to investigate completely] because if we make arrest now our docket is ready for trial. And if we go to court, a trial date will be set soon and we are sure that we will be getting a conviction on this matter,” she said.
Masuku also revealed that two law enforcement officials have been added as suspects in the matter.
On Wednesday Ipid’s acting head of investigations, Thuso Keefelakae, told the commission that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is expected to make a prosecutorial decision before the end of the month.
Mbhense was allegedly tortured and killed on April 15 2022. It is alleged that Ekurhuleni metro police department (EMPD) and SAPS officers were involved in his murder.
A postmortem later confirmed he died from head injuries. His body was discovered the following day at Duduza Dam in Nigel, with his car keys and driver’s licence still in his possession.
Police have confirmed that investigations revealed that 12 people were at the scene of Mbhense’s murder. According to national police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe, four of the 12 individuals allegedly linked to Mbhense’s killing have since died.
Const Raymond Mzwakhe Khoza, 36, an EMPD officer, was shot dead at his Tsakane home in October 2023 after responding to a neighbour’s call for assistance.
Police informant Jaco Hanekom was killed at a filling station in March 2023.
Before he was murdered in December, Witness D implicated Wiandre Pretorius in Mbhense’s death. Police later named Pretorius as a person of interest in that killing. Pretorius died by suicide over the weekend, days after surviving an apparent attack in which his vehicle was riddled with bullets.
The commission’s hearings continue.
Sowetan
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