Cape Town - Two Egyptian nationals who were arrested last week appeared in the Grabouw Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday and were charged with murder and kidnapping.
Hazem Elbherey, 29, of Strand, and Mustafao Al Sherbheney, 32, of Site C Khayelitsha, are alleged to have murdered their former business partner, Saeed Mansour, and buried his body along Baden Powell Drive in March.
Western Cape police commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile welcomed the arrest of Elbherey and Al Sherbheney.
According to provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm Pojie, the suspects were arrested in Grabouw and Queenstown respectively.
“Preliminary investigation by an integrated team of detectives led by provincial detectives suggests that the victim, Saeed Mansour, was visited by former business partners (the accused) at his business in Grabouw on March 31, 2023, where the duo confronted him, allegedly about a substantial amount of cash from the business profits they suspected him of taking without consent.
“They then forced him into their car and took off. He was later reported as missing and a kidnapping case was initially opened.
“Investigation into the disappearance took the investigation team first to Grabouw, where they arrested one of the accused on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, and on Friday, April 7, 2023, to Queenstown where the second accused was arrested with the assistance of the local police. Both were detained at the Grabouw police holding cells,” Pojie said.
He said during the course of the investigation, one of the accused co-operated with the police and pointed out where the body of Mansour was buried.
The body was exhumed from the man-made grave along Baden Powell Drive near Mitchells Plain.
“As a result, the scene was examined by forensic experts and members of the integrated Anti-Kidnapping Task Team.
“Provincial management has lauded the efforts of the integrated task team in bringing the suspects to book,” Pojie said.
According to the provincial spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Eric Ntabazalila, the case will be transferred from Grabouw to Cape Town.
“Their case has been transferred to the Mitchells Plain Magistrate’s Court for a first appearance on April 13, 2023,” Ntabazalila said.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
IOL