Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of Moses Maluleke, the Mayor of Collins Chabane Local Municipality, Police Minister Bheki Cele confirmed.
Cele announced the arrest of the three suspects at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg on Friday. Cele said the suspects were arrested on Thursday nigh.
“I want to congratulate the team that arrested the three perpetrators that killed the mayor of Collins Chabane municipality last night. We congratulate,” he said.
Maluleke was killed eight days ago in front of his home in Shikundu, outside Malamulele. His 18-year-old son, who was with him during the time of the shooting was injured and taken to hospital. It is alleged that the trio demanded money from the father and son before they shot them.
Spokesperson for the police ministry, Lirandzu Themba announced on Twitter that there was a breakthrough in the Moses Maluleke case. This is after the police in Limpopo had put forward a reward of R250 000 for information that could help lead to the arrest of the suspects.
Meanwhile, Stanley Mathabatha, the premier of Limpopo said Maluleke’s murder raised questions around the security of mayor in the province. During investigation it emerged that CCTV cameras and the electric fence at Maluleke’s house were tampered with during the robbery.
Mathabatha said, “In our first meeting that we are going to meet with the MEC and the Executive Committee, we are going to discuss about this. It is important, is very critical that we need to up the security because we thought they’ve got sufficient security, but this has just exposed that they don’t have sufficient security.”
Source: Times Live, The Citizen, SABC News, Sowetan Live, image from Twitter