Rustenburg - A-31-year-old man was sentenced to a lengthy jail term for murder in KwaMashu in KwaZulu-Natal.
Zamokuhle Mkhwanazi was sentenced to 45 years in prison at the Ntuzuma Regional Court on Wednesday.
He was found guilty of murder, two counts of attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances as well as possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda said in a statement.
“Mkhwanazi and two other suspects walked into a councillor’s office in ward 40, C Section, KwaMashu on 5 November 2021 and posed as clients seeking proof of residential address.
“One of the suspects pulled out a firearm and fired shots at two security guards and a metro police officer who were on duty at the councillor’s office.
“The guards returned fire and during the shoot-out one of the suspects was fatally wounded.
“The two security guards and a metro police officer also sustained gunshot wounds.
“Mkhwanazi stole a 9mm pistol belonging to a security company before fleeing from the scene.”
He said the police’s thorough search for Mkhwanazi produced almost instant results when he was arrested just two days after the shooting and was found in possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, positively linked to the crime scene.
“Investigations in pursuit of the other suspect, who fled the crime scene with Mkhwanazi, are still under way,” he said.
In a separate incident, the Hawks in Mpumalanga said a 39-year-old man was arrested for possession of two elephant tusks at Cork Trust.
He was arrested on Wednesday, during search and seizure operation conducted at Cork Trust under Bushbuckridge policing area, by the Hawks
“The arrest followed after information about illegal poaching was received.
“The team proceeded to the identified address where during the search, two elephant tusks were found and seized.
“The suspect was arrested and charged under section 22 on the Mpumalanga Nature Conservation Act 10/1998 possession of ivory… ” Hawks spokesperson, Captain Dineo Sekgotodi, said.
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