Pretoria - Two inmates, who have been behind bars since 2014 for conspiracy to commit robbery, possession of a suspected stolen vehicle and illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, have been formally charged for the killing of Sergeant Bafundi Mdlalo in July 2013.
The suspects will appear before the Mitchells Plain Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Mdlalo, 34, was gunned down in front of his wife at his house in Viola Close, Montclaire, in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town.
The two suspects went to the sergeant’s house and told his wife that they wanted to see her husband.
When Mdlalo came to the front door the men fired several shots, killing the officer instantly. The suspects then stormed inside the house and demanded access to the safe and made way with Mdlalo’s official firearm.
One of the firearms, which the suspects were arrested in possession of, was found to be the one which belonged to Sergeant Mdlalo leading to the duo being charged for his murder.
The National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation Lieutenant General Mthandazo Ntlemeza reiterated his stance that the Hawks will hunt those who kill police officers until they are brought to book.
He praised the investigating team for following every lead relentlessly, which led to the positive linkage of already behind bars suspects.
“The team dedicated to solving police killing murder cases deserves a pat on the back for arresting and positively linking five suspects for the killing of three police officers in the Western Cape province in a space of a week.
“We applaud them for working around the clock to bring justice and to send a stern warning that cop killers have no space in our society, and that we will hunt them even if they are already in prison,” said Lieutenant General Ntlemeza. – SAnews.gov.za
