08/03/2025
Well Done Team!!
Police take down Mooinooi murder gang
Mooinooi – A sharp-eyed investigative team cracked a shocking double murder and hijacking case, leading to the arrest of eight suspects. A crime intelligence-led operation by the District Detectives and Brits Trio Task Team saw swift action unfold on Thursday, 27 February, and Friday, 28 February 2025. The team arrested eight individuals in Attredgeville, Pretoria, and Sgandaff Section, Majakaneng village. The suspects are linked to multiple crimes, including possession of a suspected stolen motor vehicle, robbery, hijacking, and two brutal murders that shook the Mooinooi community in January. According to captain Mpho Manyoba, detectives in the Bojanala Platinum Sub-District 2 were following up on investigations when they spotted the hijacked white Isuzu bakkie in Attredgeville. Coordinating with the Brits Trio Task Team, officers managed to stop the vehicle, leading to the arrest of three suspects. But the case didn’t end there — further leads took the team to a house in Sgandaff Section, Majakaneng, where five more suspects were apprehended in a dramatic early-morning raid on 28 February. The arrests stem from a tragic incident on Sunday, 26 January 2025, when a 55-year-old vegetable vendor was ambushed on his way home in Majakaneng. He was allegedly confronted by three men, robbed of his vehicle, a Samsung phone, and cash before being mercilessly shot and killed. In a bizarre twist, the suspects accidentally shot one of their own, a 39-year-old accomplice. Rather than seeking medical help, they executed him and dumped his body in the bushes near Majakaneng. Preliminary investigations revealed that among the five suspects arrested in Majakaneng, two are South Africans aged 32 and 33, while the other three — aged 33, 36, and 48 — are undocumented Mozambican nationals. The latter have been additionally charged under the Immigration Act for being in the country illegally.
All eight suspects appeared in court on Monday, 3 March 2025, facing multiple charges, including robbery, hijacking, and two counts of murder. The acting provincial commissioner of North West, major general Patrick Asaneng, praised the tireless efforts of the officers involved, emphasising that teamwork and commitment ensured justice would be served.
Extracted from Platinum Weekly newspaper - March 2025 Issue 1