Cape Town — Police in the Eastern Cape have launched an urgent manhunt to search for the suspects behind two heinous attacks that occurred in the Eastern Cape in the past 24 hours.
In a statement, Lieutenant General Nomthetheli Mene confirmed there were two incidents that took place in the province.
“In the first incident, the mother-in-law to Chief Mtirara was gunned down at Mqhekezweni Administrative area outside Mthatha by two unknown males wearing balaclavas,” police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa, said.
Mawisa said a case of murder has been registered and the investigating team was already working with SAPS forensice experts, and the provincial detectives for the Serious and Violent Crimes unit were working to have the perpetrators arrested.
The second incident involved six learners in matric who were raped and robbed at gunpoint in the same area as the first crime.
#sapsEC The Provincial Commissioner of the Eastern Cape, Lt Gen Nomthetheli Mene, says police are working around the clock to apprehend those behind two heinous attacks in the Bhityi Administrative area in the last 24 hours.
In the first incident, the mother-in-law to Chief… pic.twitter.com/3xjmH5kBBx
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) October 30, 2024
“The Provincial Head of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offenses Investigations unit (FCS) has assembled a team to investigate and apprehend these perpetrators.
Mawisa added that both investigating teams intend to bring the perpetrators to justice and urged people to assist police with any information they may have.
According to SABC News, family of Chief Mtirara said they were in shock following the news.
“I received a report from the Great Place here, about 2 O’clock … she told me that Nogcinile Mtirara, the Chieftainess, has been shot dead. When I came here early this morning, I was told that two- people arrived and entered the house through the front door and she heard that there are people inside.”
“She came out of her room and they just shoot her immediately when they saw her. They were looking for her son, who was still in the house at the time,” adds Mdazuka.
The Eastern Cape, particularly the area around Bityi, has recently been in the news for a series of violent crimes. In the most recent incident, the police are investigating the murder of a traditional leader and the rape of six grade 12 pupils in Mqhekezweni village, outside… pic.twitter.com/9Y3ShE0ytg
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) October 30, 2024
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
