Latest news with #HAWKS
Eyewitness News
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Man starts serving sentence for cyber crimes after digitally manipulating images of Ramaphosa, others
CAPE TOWN - A man has begun serving time behind bars after being convicted of digitally manipulating images of President Cyril Ramaphosa and other high-profile figures. Scebi Thabiso Nene, 37, was sentenced by the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court to five years for cyber forgery, and an additional three years for cyber uttering and the unlawful disclosure of intimate data. The sentences will run concurrently. ALSO READ: Man arrested for allegedly issuing threats against Ramaphosa Nene was convicted for downloading and editing images of Ramaphosa, a former police minister and his spouse, as well as a former national police commissioner. "He manipulated these images by superimposing their faces onto pornographic content and subsequently distributed the altered images via WhatsApp and official Presidency email channels," said Hawks spokesperson HAWKS' SPOKESPERSON Thandi Mbambo. This sentencing followed a separate incident in which a 28-year-old man was arrested in Germiston for allegedly making threats against President Cyril Ramaphosa and Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis. He is expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrates Court on Monday.
The South African
30-04-2025
- The South African
Fannie Masemola confirms identities of 3 constables found dead in Hennops River
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has confirmed the deaths of three missing police constables -Keamogetswe Buys (30), Boipelo Senoge (20), and Cebekhulu Linda (24) – whose bodies were discovered in the Hennops River in Centurion near the N1 highway on Monday and Tuesday. National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, addressed the media at the scene, confirming that the constables, who went missing on Wednesday, 23 April, have been identified, along with two additional bodies, one being an admin clerk from Lyttleton Police Station. The officers were off duty, travelling from Bloemfontein to their area of deployment in Limpopo in a white VW Polo sedan, which remains unaccounted for. A high-level multi-agency search effort involving SAPS units, the HAWKS, cybercrime specialists, drone pilots, and air support led investigators from the Grasmere Toll Plaza to Centurion, where the vehicle wreckage and bodies were found. Among the recovered items were: Pieces of a VW Polo , found along the N1. , found along the N1. A Renault Kangoo panel van , believed to have belonged to the admin clerk. , believed to have belonged to the admin clerk. Five bodies, including: Constable Boipelo Senoge Constable Cebekhulu Linda Constable Keamogetswe Buys The Lyttleton-based police admin clerk An unidentified decomposed body , under forensic investigation Commissioner Masemola said: 'It is with deep sorrow that I confirm that our three members have been found… We had hoped to find them safe, unharmed, and alive. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Our investigation will continue, and we are still searching for the VW Polo.' Police divers from SAPS and Tshwane, assisted by aerial and cyber-intelligence teams, located the victims following a meticulous examination of evidence and tips. The victims' families have been notified and identified the bodies at the mortuary. While the cause of the incident remains undetermined, SAPS emphasised that no speculation will be made until the vehicle is recovered and investigations are complete. Commissioner Masemola extended his condolences, saying: 'We are relieved to provide painful closure to the families and the SAPS family, and we thank all involved in the search operation. Investigations are ongoing.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
29-04-2025
- The South African
SAPS confirms death of three missing constables
The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Fannie Masemola, confirmed that the three missing constables were among the five bodies recovered from the Hennops River in Centurion. Masemola confirmed in a media briefing that Constable Keamogetswe Buys, Constable Boipelo Senoge and Constable Cebekhulu Linda were found deceased. 'We had hoped to find our three police officers safe, unharmed and alive, but this is not the case. It is with deep sorrow that I confirm that our three members have been found, together with two other bodies, one being an admin clerk that is attached to our Lyttleton police station,' said Masemola. The trio went missing on Wednesday, 3 April 2025, at a petrol station near the toll plaza while travelling from Bloemfontein to Limpopo, where they had been deployed. They were last seen travelling in a white Volkswagen (VW) Polo sedan with the registration number JCL 401 FS when they went missing. Police investigations began on Monday, 28 April 2025, with the assistance of a high-level multidisciplinary team, including drone pilots, a cybercrime unit, HAWKS, a Crime and counterintelligence unit, SAPS, Gauteng Traffic Airwing, and Bidvest Protea Coin Airwing. The special team found pieces of vehicle parts believed to be of a VW Polo along the N1 which eventually led them to the river where they discovered a Renault Kangoo panel van. 'We discovered two bodies, one of the driver of the Renault panel, who is one of our employees attached to the Lyttleton Police Station and the second body was that of Constable Senoge,' said Msemola. Due to nightfall, the search had to be suspended as it was getting dark, with a lack of visibility posing a challenge in identifying the bodies. The following morning, a third body, believed to be that of Constable Linda, was identified. Additionally, a decomposed body whose identity is unknown was also discovered. Later on, the body of Constable Buys was identified. The families of the deceased were escorted to the mortuary, where they identified their loved ones. Masemola said that while they had hopes of finding the constables alive, the recovery of their bodies would bring closure to the families. He said, 'This is not how we expected this case to unfold, we were hoping for a positive outcome. Be that as it may, we are relieved that we could provide the painful closure to the families and the broader SAPS family.' Investigations are currently taking place, while police are still searching for the VW Polo. Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Yahoo
American pastor kidnapped in South Africa thanks God after being rescued
American pastor Josh Sullivan released a statement after he was rescued from captivity following a deadly shootout in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province. "I want to begin by thanking God for delivering me from what was undoubtedly the worst experience of our life," Sullivan wrote in a press release. He said that his "personal relationship with Jesus" gave him the strength he needed to survive. American Pastor Kidnapped In South Africa Rescued After Deadly Police Shootout "I am deeply grateful to the thousands of people who prayed for me while I was in captivity. It was because of these prayers that God performed a miracle a few nights ago." Sullivan also expressed his gratitude for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (HAWKS), the FBI, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) special agents and the South African police. He also said he was thankful for his wife, "whose strength and resilience made her the strongest woman in the world last week." American Pastor's Kidnapping In South Africa Fueled By Soaring Armed Robbery Incidents In Recent Years Read On The Fox News App Sullivan asked for privacy, but said he would tell his "miraculous" story "when the time is right."HAWKS said an operation led by the agency "resulted in the successful rescue" of an American citizen, "reportedly a local pastor who had allegedly been kidnapped and held at a safe house in KwaMagxaki, Gqeberha, on 15 April 2025." Sullivan was abducted when four men broke into his church and dragged him from the pulpit, according to the Associated Press, which added that his truck was found hours later. The outlet reported that Sullivan has been based in the Motherwell township branch of the Fellowship Baptist Church since 2018. Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this article source: American pastor kidnapped in South Africa thanks God after being rescued
Fox News
19-04-2025
- Fox News
American pastor kidnapped in South Africa thanks God after being rescued
American pastor Josh Sullivan released a statement after he was rescued from captivity following a deadly shootout in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province. "I want to begin by thanking God for delivering me from what was undoubtedly the worst experience of our life," Sullivan wrote in a press release. He said that his "personal relationship with Jesus" gave him the strength he needed to survive. "I am deeply grateful to the thousands of people who prayed for me while I was in captivity. It was because of these prayers that God performed a miracle a few nights ago." Sullivan also expressed his gratitude for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (HAWKS), the FBI, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) special agents and the South African police. He also said he was thankful for his wife, "whose strength and resilience made her the strongest woman in the world last week." Sullivan asked for privacy, but said he would tell his "miraculous" story "when the time is right."HAWKS said an operation led by the agency "resulted in the successful rescue" of an American citizen, "reportedly a local pastor who had allegedly been kidnapped and held at a safe house in KwaMagxaki, Gqeberha, on 15 April 2025." Sullivan was abducted when four men broke into his church and dragged him from the pulpit, according to the Associated Press, which added that his truck was found hours later. The outlet reported that Sullivan has been based in the Motherwell township branch of the Fellowship Baptist Church since 2018.
