A sergeant stationed at Benoni police station in Gauteng and his alleged accomplice have been arrested for the alleged kidnapping and murder of a woman from Limpopo.
31-year-old Refiloe Malope was allegedly taken by force by the two suspects, who were seen shoving her into the boot of a Toyota Sedan at Kgaphamadi village in the Hlogotlou policing area in Limpopo on May 9 at about 10am. The car sped off in the direction of Motsephiri, according to witnesses.
“Two suspects, a 40-year-old police sergeant stationed at Benoni police station in Gauteng and his accomplice, aged 39, were nabbed during a joint-intelligence-drive operation that was conducted by the Limpopo tracking team, provincial organised crime and Hlogotlou detectives,” said Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo, the police spokesperson.
The Gauteng-based sergeant was arrested while he was at work on Tuesday and his accomplice was arrested in his hideout in Apel. “The team is currently following up on information that the suspects might have murdered the woman and dumped her body into a discontinued ventilation mine shaft in Benoni, Gauteng,” Mojapelo said.
“The search and rescue unit of the SAPS in Benoni and the Department of Mineral Resources have been requested to assist in these efforts. The operation will commence as soon as the necessary equipment to access the shaft are made available.”
The suspects appeared at the Nebo magistrate’s court on Thursday, facing charges of kidnapping and obstructing the course of justice. Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe, the provincial police commissioner hailed the team of investigators for cracking the kidnapping case.