Cape Town - The Hawks have arrested a suspect who is accused of murdering a police officer for a second time.
Warrant Officer Siyakubonga Mphakathi was about to start his night shift in June 2022 at the Philippi railway station in Ngulube Street when he was shot and killed by three unknown suspects.
Hawks spokesperson Siyabulela Vukubi said their National Priority Violent Crime team based in Bellville re-arrested 43-year-old Xolisa Lufutha on May 8 on allegations of killing a police official.
“In June 2022 the victim was on his way to work driving his own private vehicle when he was shot and killed allegedly by three unknown suspects.
“During the investigation, two suspects were arrested and were charged for police murder.
“The case was referred to the Western Cape division of the High Court and on October 27, 2023, the two accused made their first appearance.
“On the same date, the case was struck off the court roll and the accused were released.
“Warrants of arrest for the two accused were subsequently obtained and they were circulated as wanted, hence the apprehension of Lufutha.
“The other suspect is still at large and we are busy trying to trace him.”
Lufutha was expected to appear in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The day after the murder in 2022, Mphakathi’s relative Sibusiso Gambu said his colleagues called the family and informed them of the killing.
The officer was shot inside a white Toyota Tazz as he was parking it.
The family said they didn’t know what the motive was.
“When we found out it was quite a shock. His colleagues called us and they told us that he had been shot and killed and we went to see what happened and we found his body in his car. He was shot in the face, in his jaw and also in the body. I’m not sure where exactly.”
Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said reports from the scene indicated that the 49-year-old warrant officer, who was attached to the Rapid Rail Unit, was driving towards the Philippi railway station in his vehicle when he was shot through the window.
Days after the murder, Police Minister Bheki Cele paid a visit to the officer’s family in Mfuleni.
He promised them an arrest for the murder.
“It looks like this was no accident, it looks like it was planned by somebody who wanted it to happen. It would be good to know what exactly happened and why.”
Five months after the shooting, in November 2022, police arrested Lufutha after a tracing operation.
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za
Cape Argus