Two of the three suspects sought by the police in connection with the killing of Olorato Mongale are currently out on bail.
This was revealed by national police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe during a briefing outside the Pretoria magistrate's court on Thursday.
Mathe said Philangenkosi Makhanya and Bongani Mthimkhulu were arrested for kidnapping and robbery and released last in April.
“We had actually arrested two of the three suspects that we are looking for. On the 20th of April this year, we arrested them on a charge of kidnapping and robbery in the Brakpan area, where a vigilant police officer was conducting his regular patrols. He came across a suspicious-looking vehicle, a VW Polo – the same VW Polo in question – and when he confronted the suspects, he found that they had just kidnapped a woman and robbed her.
“We immediately placed these two suspects under arrest. On the 22nd of April, they appeared in court on a charge of kidnapping and robbery, and on the 26th of April, they got bail. So they are currently out on bail,” Mathe said.
On the 20th of April this year, we arrested them on a charge of kidnapping and robbery in the Brakpan area, where a vigilant police officer was conducting his regular patrols
— Athlenda Mathe, national police spokesperson
She said that the suspects are linked to other various cases too.
Mongale’s lifeless body was discovered over the weekend, abandoned in Lombardy outside Alexandra, northern Johannesburg.
On Wednesday night, police issued a statement where they identified Makhanya and Fezile Ngubane as people of interest in the murder. This after the white VW Polo that picked up Mongale from her Joburg residence for a date was found at a panel-beating workshop in Phoenix,
KwaZulu-Natal.
On Thursday morning, police identified the third man as Mthimkhulu, a friend of Makhanya, as the additional suspect. The police are looking for all three men.
Mathe urged anyone who spots the suspects to immediately contact Brig Edwin Nama on: 082-778-9035. – SowetanLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.