Mchunu clarifies Eastern Cape arrests

Mchunu clarifies Eastern Cape arrests

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has clarified that the three people who have been arrested in the Eastern Cape are not specifically linked to the mass killings of 18 people, but may be persons of interest in that case.

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu releases crime stats Aug '24
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Mchunu’s clarification to the media follows his address at yesterday’s memorial service held for the victims of the mass shooting in Lusikisiki on Sunday.


Two homesteads on the same street in the town were targeted in the shooting that killed 12 women and one man at one location, and three women and one man at the second location.

 

The motive for the shootings remains unknown.

 

Mchunu says the trio who have been arrested is linked to a number of other cases in the area, including murder.

 

"We said that this incident, horrible incident, happened against the backdrop or the context of a number of cases that happened before including that one that happened of shooting somebody in hospital two or three days before.

 

"You must have heard Mr. King complaining, talking about seven dockets, six cases and all of that, it happened in that context.

 

"Now, three people have been arrested in that context, but in cases like those, you arrest somebody for a specific case in which he or she is the suspect and while doing work there is always possibilities (sic) that he or she may be a person of interest in another case including the one that has recently happened, so those three are in that particular context.

 

"When they get charged tomorrow (Monday) it doesn't mean that it will be the end, it may not mean that, it may mean that there may be other charges that may follow as police do their work.

 

"Now on what delays the fourth one (arrest), police work on the basis of investigations and they base their arrest on evidence on probability, they know how to do the work.

 

"They will follow investigations all the time until they are able to say now you are charged. There is nothing particularly that is preventing or delaying, but it’s work that is continuing and we can't say why police do their work."

 

The three suspects are expected to appear in court on Monday.


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