Shongwe commends Police for the swift arrest of five murder suspects

Shongwe commends Police for the swift arrest of five murder suspects

BY BRIAN KAJENGO

Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Vusi Shongwe has commended Police after they successfully arrested four men aged between 25 and 34 and a 24 year-old woman in the early hours of this morning [03 June 2014] at Matsulu outside Nelspruit for suspected murder.

The suspects arrested in connection with the murder of a farmer, Riaan Jakobus Van Der Berg in Malalane.

Mr Van Der Berg found murdered on Friday (30 May 2014) morning in his house with his hands still bound and a rope on his neck. The suspects allegedly fled the scene with his silver Nissan Hardbody, a television, tumble dryer, home theatre system and a cellphone.

Shongwe commended the police saying that such acts of killing and violence in farms never tolerated. He said that the arrest must send a message to other community members that such incidences are harshly condemned.

“This must also serve to encourage other officers to have dedication when doing their job. We cannot prolong investigations especially when the suspects pose danger to our communities. We want to see these suspects, if guilty getting harsh sentences.

“Through the Department’s Rural Safety Programmes, we always encourage community members to work with police to report or identify crime suspects. We however discourage communities from taking law into their own hands. Police are the best people qualified to deal with suspects of crime,” concluded Shongwe.