Warrant Officer Nkosinathi Ntinga. Picture courtesy: Dasen Thathiah/eNCA
A third person has been arrested for the brutal murder of a KwaZulu-Natal cop while his colleague who was also kidnapped died in hospital on Sunday morning.
Police said Warrant Officer Nkosinathi Ntinga, who was stationed at KwaMbonambi police station was kidnapped from his home in Phetane Reserve on August 1.
Ntinga, his wife Ntombizodwa, and another colleague, had been in the home when gunmen stormed their property.
KZN provincial police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said two armed suspects stormed into the house and robbed the police officers of their service pistols and cellphones, before forcing Ntinga and the clerk inside a vehicle which belonged to the clerk and drove off.
The wife was unharmed during the attack. However, the Hawks arrested the 44-year-old woman last week and charged her with her husband’s murder.
Police said Ntinga’s bullet ridden body was found dumped near the Msunduzi River, with the car abandoned in sugar cane field.
The clerk, who works at the Ntambanana police station, was found lying along the road with injuries and it is suspected that he was thrown out of a moving vehicle, police said.
Hawks spokesperson Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo confirmed on Sunday that the clerk died in hospital on Sunday morning. His name has not been released yet.
Mhlongo confirmed that Samkelo Mpanza, 33, was also arrested and charged.
“A third person (aged 39) has been arrested and will appear in court on Monday-for possession of ammunition and again on Tuesday for double murder, armed robbery and kidnapping.”
Mhlongo said police were on the hunt for a fourth suspect, while Mrs Ntinga and Mpanza made a brief appearance in the KwaMbonambi Magistrate’s Court last week.
They face charges of murder, armed robbery with aggravating circumstances, attempted murder and kidnapping.
Mhlongo said one service pistol taken during the incident was recovered.
IOL News
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