The eight men, including foreign and South African nationals, were arrested on Friday and Sunday respectively, along with the man said to be the mastermind in the murder of Makhoana.

The Hawks provincial spokesperson, Tlangelani Rikhotso, says during their arrests, items which include amongst other a 9mm service pistol, ammunition, and handcuffs belonging to Makhoana, were recovered at a house in Mahikeng. Rikhotso says following the arrest of others and the confiscation of these items at this house, the police further busted the owners of the house at a hideout in the Majemantsho Village where two more pistols were seized from them. Their arrest comes as another suspect, the 47-year-old Joseph Mathe, is due to make a second appearance in the Mmabatho Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

"Six of the suspects will make their first appearance at the Mmabatho Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday where they will be facing charges of hijacking, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and murder. The other two suspects will appear on Wednesday facing the same charges," Rikhotso adds.

The lifeless body of Constable Makhoana was found along the road outside Mahikeng with gunshot wounds while his vehicle was found torched in Majemantsho village near Lomanyaneng - far from where his body was found outside Mahikeng. Makhoana was stationed in Mmabatho and he apparently went missing on the morning of Wednesday 29 July 2020, while on his way to visit his sister in Zeerust.

A missing person enquiry was registered at the Mahikeng Police Station after the deceased failed to arrive at his sister's Zeerust home or answer his cell phone. Following his murder, the police in the province launched what is known as a 72-hour action plan to trace his killers.

"The multi-disciplinary team consisting of the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation, assisted by members of LCRC, Detectives, K9 and the Flying Squad followed up on further leads that led to the discovery of the deceased’s cell phones.

Subsequently, another suspect alleged to be the main perpetrator, was arrested in Mahikeng," Rikhotso further adds.

 OFM News