SANDF members accused of killing Hawks investigator and kidnapping foreign nationals
Two soldiers from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) are expected to appear in the Randburg Magistrate's Court on Monday in Gauteng on charges of murder and kidnapping.
The soldiers, aged 36 and 51, were arrested on Sunday, June 22, at the OR Tambo International Airport and in Centurion, Pretoria, respectively.
The spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (known as Hawks), Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Singo, stated that the arrests were carried out by members of the Johannesburg-based Hawks' Serious Organised Crime Investigation, the Headquarters' Serious Organised Crime Investigation, and the Tactical Operations Management Section (TOMS).
'The arrests are linked to the murder of Lieutenant Colonel Frans Mathipa, who was fatally shot while driving on the N1 highway near Hammanskraal on August 6, 2023. Following the shooting, his vehicle lost control and veered into a ditch,' Singo said.
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