ZiMoja updates on the latest crime news in parts of the country.

GAUTENG: The Hawks have arrested four suspects linked to the brutal murder of Constable Nthabiseng Bridget Mosidi (46) and a taxi owner Nkosinathi Ndlela outside the Kagiso police station on Thursday. Hawks' spokesperson, Captain Lloyd Ramovha, said on the day of the incident, around midday, the deceased were sitting in a vehicle parked outside the police station when suddenly, a blue car stopped next to their vehicle, and the occupants shot them several times. The assailants then fled the scene and the victims succumbed to their injuries on the spot. The four suspects aged between 27 and 46 were arrested on Friday morning around 2am following an operation conducted by the Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation team and the police's tactical response team. They were arrested at their addresses in Witpoortjie and Mohlakeng, respectively, and four AK-47 rifles and multiple rounds of ammunition were seized during the arrests.

SUSPECTED TAXI VIOLENCE

The Hawks said the motive of the murders is suspected to be a taxi association turf war, as all suspects are in the taxi industry. The four suspects, three of whom are relatives, are currently in police custody facing charges of murder, possession of unlicensed firearms, and ammunition. The possibilities of them being linked to other violent crimes in the province have not been ruled out. They are expected to appear in the Kagiso Magistrates Court next week.  

LIMPOPO: The Lenyenye Magistrates Court in Limpopo has sentenced a 34-year-old man to 25 years imprisonment for the rape of his 10-year-old neighbour. On 7 August 2021, the accused went to the victim's home and lured him to accompany him to the outside toilet, where he raped him. The accused is said to have threatened the victim not to report the incident to anyone and continued to rape the boy the following day. The victim disclosed the incident to his grandmother, who immediately reported it to the police in Maake and the perpetrator was arrested on the same day. The bail of the accused was opposed until he was sentenced.

LIMPOPO: The Mankweng Magistrates Court postponed the bail application of a farm owner, Zachariah Johannes Olivier (60) and his two employees, Andrian Rudolph De Wet (19) and William Musora (45), a Zimbabwean national accused of killing two women and dumping their bodies in a pigsty. The trio is facing two counts of premeditated murder, attempted murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. Musoro faces a further charge of contravening the Immigration Act as he is in the country illegally. The court heard that the men allegedly killed 47-year-old Mariah Makgato and 34-year-old Lucia Ndlovu and wounded Ndlovu's husband, who entered the Onvervaght Farm to collect food that had been dumped by a truck. The accused allegedly fired several shots at the victims, resulting in the deaths of the two women and injuries to a surviving male individual. The matter has been postponed to the 10th of September.