9 arrested in connection with murders of cop duo
|Published
Constable Mninawa Breakfast and Sergeant Mnakwazo Mdoko
Police have made a breakthrough in the murder of two police officers in Kraaifontein.
Nine suspects were nabbed for the possession of unlicensed firearms in Khayelitsha, two of which were positively identified as belonging to the two slain cops.
Police Minister Bheki Cele says on Thursday night, an intelligence-led police operation resulted in the arrests.
“This breakthrough as a result of combined efforts of DPCI together with Crime Intelligence, Flying Squad and the Tactical Response teams is paying off and I am encouraged that the SAPS in the province has taken up the call to find the police killers dead or alive.”
Sergeant Mnakwazo Mdoko and Constable Mninawa Breakfast were ambushed, shot and killed while patrolling in Bloekombos, in the early hours of Sunday, 28 February.
Their service firearms were also stolen.
A 32-year-old man was arrested the same day and appeared in court for the murders.
He will remain behind bars until his next court appearance.
Cele said a total of seven police officers have been killed in the past 15 days.
Meanwhile, Constable Breakfast’s grieving widow, Lulamela, has refused to quit the police force but wants to be transferred to the Eastern Cape.
The constable, who is stationed at the Langa Police Station, told the Weekend Argus she’s only been a cop for a year and fears for her children, a 13-year-old boy and 10-year-old girl.
“I’m fearing for my children’s lives and mine because once criminals see you wearing our uniform, they target you hoping to get your work gun,” she said.