logo
Police issue warrant of arrest for Vereeniging murder suspect

Police issue warrant of arrest for Vereeniging murder suspect

The Citizen11-06-2025
Armard Swart was shot and killed while seated in his vehicle.
Police have issued a warrant of arrest for Lucky Boitumelo Molefe in connection with the murder of a 30-year-old engineer in Vereeniging.
Armard Swart was shot while seated in his vehicle outside his workplace on 17 April 2024, allegedly by two suspects driving a white Hyundai i20.
Murder
Police said Swart sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was declared dead on the scene.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Vincent Mukhathi said an intensive investigation led by the head office organised crime team and crime Intelligence led to the arrest of four suspects, including one who was suspected to be behind the murder.
'It was reported that the suspects orchestrated the assassination in order to silence him after he blew the whistle about fraud and corruption that was linked to a Transnet tender contract.
'Molefe from Johannesburg has been in hiding since December 2024, and police have been searching for him,' Mukhathi said.
Lucky Boitumelo Molefe. Picture: Saps
ALSO READ: Four killed, three others injured at Mfuleni taxi rank in Cape Town
Search
Mukhathi added that the other four accused are still in prison, and their case has been postponed for trial to be heard at the Palm Ridge High Court in August 2025.
'Police are still searching for Lucky Boitiumelo Molefe, and he is warned to hand himself over at the nearest police station.
'Police are appealing to anyone who might have information about the whereabouts of the suspect to contact the Investigating Officer, Sergeant Khorommbi, on 063 695 8590,' Mukhathi said.
Parents arrested
Meanwhile, police have arrested a 47-year-old woman and a 48-year-old man for the alleged sexual abuse of their two young daughters.
The couple were handcuffed in Bloubergstrand, Western Cape, on Tuesday.
Police said the daughters are aged three and eight years old.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk said the suspects face multiple charges, including the production of child sexual abuse material (commonly referred to as 'child pornography'), rape, sexual assault, and sexual grooming.
Van Wyk said the children rescued during the operation have been placed in a place of safety.
ALSO READ: Former Stellenbosch mayor Nyaniso Jindela shot dead
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Bail appeal dismissed for alleged Durban drug dealer accused of bribing survivor
Bail appeal dismissed for alleged Durban drug dealer accused of bribing survivor

The Citizen

time8 hours ago

  • The Citizen

Bail appeal dismissed for alleged Durban drug dealer accused of bribing survivor

The suspect fatally wounded his former employee and injured another, who survived the shooting. An Durban alleged drug dealer has suffered another setback after his appeal challenging the denial of his release on bail was dismissed. Shirwin Nowtham will remain in custody until his trial begins after his application for leave to appeal was rejected by the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) High Court. Nowtham was charged with murder and attempted murder in connection with a shooting that took place a year ago. Durban drug dealer 'shoots' his employees It is alleged that on 29 August 2024, Nowtham fatally shot his former employee and wounded another, who survived being shot with a shotgun. The survivor and the deceased had previously worked for Nowtham selling drugs. On the day of the shooting, Nowtham and a man named Stephen arrived in a grey VW Polo and picked them up for another job. At some point, the two victims were forced out of the vehicle, and Nowtham allegedly opened fire on them. ALSO READ: Crime Intelligence CFO, co-accused granted bail in burglary cover-up Nowtham was arrested on 14 September. He was refused bail by the Verulam Magistrate's Court on 4 October. Rather than appealing that ruling immediately, Nowtham later renewed his bail application, citing new evidence. In his application, the accused referred to his son's ongoing illness, his own hypertension, and the survivor's retraction of the claim that he was the shooter. Survivior's statements The survivor had initially made a statement three days before Nowtham's arrest and then a second one on 18 November. In the second statement made to a police officer, the victim confirmed Nowtham had shot him and also claimed that the suspect bribed him during a prison phone call to change his testimony, paying him R5 000 and promised an additional R20 000 to drop the charges. Despite this, the survivor maintained that he did not want to withdraw the charges. On 25 November, attorney Mondli Mthethwa filed an affidavit stating that the survivor, accompanied by two men, approached him wanting to declare that Nowtham was not the shooter. READ MORE: 'Why were alarm bells not sounded sooner?' – Jayden-Lee Meek's mother denied bail The survivor explained that he had first approached the police but was told they did not want to take his statement. The victim then gave a further statement to another attorney, Ivy Mukweka, in January this year in which he claimed that Stephen, not Nowtham, was responsible for the shooting. Nowtham contended that these developments weakened the prosecution's case and amounted to new facts warranting his release on bail. The bail application was, however, denied on 14 March, leading Nowtham to appeal to the high court. High Court judgment In his ruling, Judge Robin Mossop acknowleged that there is 'substantial uncertainty' about the survivor's definitive version of events. He highlighted the state's argument that other evidence, which Nowtham had not focused on, pointed to his involvement. One such fact was that the deceased did not die immediately, and reportedly told a security guard that Nowtham was the shooter. 'That dying declaration was heard by a security guard who, alerted by the sound of the shooting, proceeded to the scene where he found the injured survivor and the dying deceased,' Mossop said. READ MORE: Likely to destroy evidence: Accused's bail bid rejected in Ditebogo Phalane murder case The judge also referenced evidence linking Nowtham with the crime through the grey Polo. 'The security guard apparently stated that he had observed a grey Polo motor vehicle with CY registration plates leaving the scene. 'Immediately after the shootings, the motor vehicle was returned to the dealer who had sold it to the appellant, and it was apparently swapped for another motor vehicle. Why this strange turn of events occurred was not explained by the appellant.' Mossop further pointed out that telephone tower evidence placed Nowtham's phone near the shooting location. He said the Verulam Magistrate's Court gave a 'reasoned judgment' on the bail application based on the new facts. 'Extremely strange' According to Mossop, the only potentially new fact was the sequence of affidavits from the survivor. 'Objectively speaking, the circumstances under which the affidavits that purported to exonerate the appellant came into existence are extremely strange. 'The survivor described himself in the affidavit drafted for him by Ms Mukweka as being an adult unemployed and unmarried male,' the judgment reads. 'In addition, he was apparently a person who had to be given a handout to purchase groceries, yet he was prepared to consult with two different private attorneys to prepare two statements. 'Why did he consult private attorneys? Where did he get the money to do this from? 'Why did he simply not report what he wished to say to the investigating officer and thereby avoid the cost that he must indubitably have incurred consulting with private attorneys? 'I do not accept, as allegedly stated by the survivor and as previously mentioned, that the Saps refused to take his statement. The answers to these questions are not immediately obvious,' Mossop continued. Nowtham's appeal was consequently dismissed as evidence showed his ability to interfere with state witnesses. NOW READ: Cop and prosecutor get bail in R1.6 million extortion case

Man's fake threats to skip work earns him real jail time
Man's fake threats to skip work earns him real jail time

The Citizen

time2 days ago

  • The Citizen

Man's fake threats to skip work earns him real jail time

Fortuin admitted that he had been drinking heavily the day before and 'did not want to go to work the following day'. A 50-year-old Bellville man who sparked mass panic by making hoax bomb threats to police has been sentenced to five years' direct imprisonment. The Bellville regional court convicted Ferdinand Fortuin on three counts under the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorism and Related Activities Act (POCDATARA), after he falsely claimed to have planted explosives at the Department of Water and Sanitation, Transnet offices and the Bellville taxi rank. The threats, made on 11 November 2024, forced the evacuation of more than 3 500 people and the deployment of multiple specialised police units. Bomb scare to avoid work According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Fortuin admitted in his plea and sentencing agreement that he had been drinking heavily the day before and 'did not want to go to work the following day'. 'He left his home in Mamre, expecting the roads leading to Bellville to be closed because of his bomb threats. They were not, and he worked the whole day,' the NPA said. Fortuin confessed to buying a cellphone from a drug user to make the hoax calls, including one to the toll-free emergency number, claiming to have placed explosives at the three locations, one of them being his own workplace. ALSO READ: Life for EC man who murdered partner during quarrel Mass evacuations and police deployment The threats triggered a large-scale emergency response. 'At the water and sanitation department offices on Voortrekker Road, police assisted by three bomb disposal technicians, the K-9 Dog Unit, and visible policing unit members evacuated 164 people,' the NPA said. Another 151 people were evacuated from the department's Bellville South offices. Police also cleared 250 people from the Transnet Park Building and evacuated around 3 000 people from the Bellville taxi rank, which was subsequently closed. Roads in and out of the rank were blocked, causing widespread disruption and panic. ALSO READ: Supreme Court upholds 20-year sentence for former ANC MP in R6m AgriB-BBEE fraud case Sentence reduced from minimum term Fortuin faced a prescribed minimum sentence of 15 years unless the court found 'substantial and compelling circumstances' to deviate. The court noted that he was a first offender, had pleaded guilty, shown remorse, and had 'strong personal circumstances' making him a candidate for rehabilitation. He was sentenced to five years' direct imprisonment on all charges combined. NPA regional spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said they accepted the court's decision but warned that similar offences would be met with severe consequences. 'The NPA will not hesitate to prosecute conduct of this nature to the full extent that the law allows,' he said. NOW READ: Amantle Samane case: Pethe Sara Simao to plead guilty on all counts — lawyer

Fraudster ordered to pay back illegally obtained money to SARS
Fraudster ordered to pay back illegally obtained money to SARS

The Citizen

time2 days ago

  • The Citizen

Fraudster ordered to pay back illegally obtained money to SARS

The case against Ashley Mphephu (42) was finalised by the Middelburg Serious Commercial Crimes court on Thursday. Mphephu was accused of defrauding the South African Revenue Services, which led to SARS suffering a loss of R1 070 000 during the 2013/2014 income tax financial year returns. According to Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi (provincial spokesperson of the Hawks), Mphephu intentionally filed fraudulent tax returns for six Transnet employees. After investigations were conducted, it was discovered that he added false information on medical tax certificate returns without members' knowledge. The matter was then reported to the Hawks Serious Commercial Crimes Investigation unit based in Middelburg for further investigations. Mphephu was charged with Contravention of the Tax Administration Act. Charges were also laid against the six Transnet employees, but were later withdrawn. He was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment or pay a R200 000 fine. Mphephu was ordered to pay R70 000 of the fine immediately, and the remaining amount to be paid in instalments of R2 500 by the seventh day of each month, from September 2025. He was further ordered to pay R50 000 to the Criminal Assets Recovery Account before August 28. Three years of his sentence was suspended for five years, on the condition that he is not convicted of a similar offence. The media statement that was sent out said that SARS managed to recover some of the money from Mphephu and his six co-accused.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store