EASTERN CAPE Four suspects aged between 22 and 37-years were arrested this morning through an intelligence driven operation conducted by the Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit of the Hawks, Crime Intelligence and the National Intervention unit. The four were arrested for the murder Constable Lonwabo Soga (26) who was murdered on 03 December 2019 in Coffee Bay. The 37-year-old was arrested at Mqanduli while the rest of the suspects were arrested in Mthatha and are expected to appear in the Mthatha Magistrate’s court on Monday, 9 December 2019. The team recovered six unlicensed firearms including the one belonging to the deceased member which was robbed during the incident as well as ammunition. An assortment of police equipment including hand cuffs, reflector jacket and a hand radio were found during the suspects arrests.

Constable Soga and Constable Siyabonga Nani (41) were reportedly on duty at Coffee Bay attending a complaint when they were approached by four men in a white Isuzu double cab. It is further alleged that the suspects pretended as though they needed assistance from the police. Constable Soga, who was the driver of the police vehicle was approached by two of the men while Constable Nani was approached by the other two as he sat on the passenger’s side. One of the suspects standing at the passenger’s side drew his firearm and shot at Constable Soga who died instantly. The suspects then ordered Constable Nani who was not armed to remove the body of Constable Soga from the driver’s seat to the back of the state vehicle. Constable Nani was then forced to get inside the back of the state vehicle.

The suspects then allegedly drove the state vehicle to a nearby shop where a security guard was forced to open the gate seeing it is a police vehicle. It is alleged that the suspects went to the owner’s house and demanded R3000, liquor and tobacco. The suspects then allegedly fled were taken suspects fled the crime scene with the shop owner’s Nissan Navara, which they allegedly abandoned on the way to Mqanduli. The state vehicle was left on the crime scene with Constable Nani and Soga locked at the back.

Furthermore, the suspects allegedly stole Constable Soga’s state firearm and Constable Nani’s cellphone.

Source: South African Police Service