Cape Town – A third suspect linked to the murder of an Eastern Cape police officer was found dead in Cape Town, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) said on Thursday.
According to the provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, Captain Yolisa Mgolodela, the suspect was traced to Cape Town by members of the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team based in East London.
She said officers got information the suspect was allegedly involved in a shooting incident in Khayelitsha at about 2.30pm.
“On arrival at the scene, a 25-year-old male was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds and was positively identified by his family member. The circumstances around his death are unknown at this stage, pending an ongoing investigation,” Mgolodela said.
“Through the Hawks’ investigation, he was the main suspect in Sergeant Pumlani Dastile’s murder.”
Dastile was killed in front of a tavern in Zone 4, Zwelitsha on August 23.
She said it is alleged that Dastile was accosted by four unknown men while he was talking to his friends.
It was reported that two of the suspects allegedly drew their firearms and killed him.
On Wednesday, a second suspect was also located in Cape Town.
The 24-year-old man was tracked and traced to a hospital in Cape Town.
Mgolodela said the suspect was being treated in hospital for gunshot wounds he sustained, allegedly during a shoot-out on September 10.
“He was shot and injured when he was one of the passengers in a minibus taxi on September 10, 2021 when it was stormed with a hail of bullets by unknown gunmen in Cape Town.
“He is expected to appear in the Zwelitsha Magistrate’s Court as soon as he is discharged from the hospital where he is under police guard,” she said.
The first suspect arrested by the Hawks was Kwanga Nojaholo, 36.
He was arrested on August 27, and was denied bail in the Zwelitsha Magistrate’s Court on August 30.
According to Mgolodela, Nojaholo is alleged to have assisted the suspects with transportation, accommodation and the location of the cop prior to his murder.
Nojaholo is expected back in court on September 30, 2021.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
IOL