5 Suspected Hitmen Arrested in Cato Manor Likely to Be Linked to Other Murders by DNA Evidence, Police Claim

• Durban police successfully arrested five suspected hitmen who were caught en route to commit a hit-profile murder
• Authorities are confident that fingerprints and DNA evidence will link the men to other unsolved murders
• The five were arrested after Durban police received a tip-off that men in three suspicious vehicles were on their way to commit a hired hit

DURBAN - Police intercepted and arrested five men allegedly on their way to carry out a hit in Cato Manor, Durban.

While the arrests reportedly prevented what would have been the assassination of a high-profile person, Durban police believe the operation will yield breakthroughs in other ongoing murder investigations.

KwaZulu-Natal police Spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naiker told the media at the scene of the arrest that it was highly possible fingerprint and DNA evidence would link the five suspected hitmen to other unsolved murders, The Witness reported.

Read also

IPID investigating police shooting after Zeerust cop gunned down estranged wife and male friend

Speaking exclusively to Breifly News, criminology and security expert, Tiniyiko Ngoveni, said that it is very likely that the five men arrested will be linked to other murders.

Ngoveni said:

"Take note that “once a criminal, always a criminal”. For these criminals, assassination is their daily bread and main source of income."

Ngoveni added that the police must expedite DNA processing from crimes of this nature, given that it is so difficult to apprehend hired assassins.

Community safety MEC Sipho Hlomuka was asked if the suspected hitmen were linked to the hit on rapper Kiernan "AKA" Forbes. Hlomuka said that police would investigate possible links and provide details on the investigation as soon as they become available.

Informant's tip-off leads to the prevention of a murder in Durban

Read also

Durban man who killed intruder that stabbed him faces murder charge, SA in disbelief

According to TimesLIVE, police successfully intercepted the five men thanks to a tip-off from an informant.

Naiker said the informant told police that suspicious vehicles were on their way to make a hit on a high-profile person in Cato Manor.

The men were travelling in three vehicles, a stolen silver bakkie, a hired Toyota Starlet and a third car belonging to one of the suspects.

Upon arrest, officers discovered the men with several high-calibre illegal firearms, including AK47s.

Naiker said that he was confident further investigations will lead to the men facing more charges.

South Africans have mixed feeling about the arrest of 5 suspected hitmen in Cato Manor

Here's how South Africans reacted to the arrest of the five suspected hitmen.

@Olwethu_V_Jones said:

"If only this could happen regularly, like every two weeks or monthly."

@Roydube6 claimed:

"Arrested? This is never good news, they will be given bail, and they might carry out a job during that period."

Read also

4 Limpopo police officers arrested for stealing R5 000 from undocumented foreigners at Groblersdal mall

@Nomali88 asked:

"Why were they arrested on their way? Why didn't they wait for them to meet up with the famous man?"

@MustoGraeme1 demanded:

"Mandatory 15 years in jail without the possibility of early release."

@Biejanka4 commented:

"Thank you... Now we need the ones who killed Kiernan to be brought to justice."

‘Justice for AKA’: SA citizens sign petition demanding answers from police about murder investigation

Briefly News previously reported AKA was brutally killed earlier in February with his friend Tebello "Tibz" Motsoane and South Africans are still trying to come to terms with the rapper's death.

No suspects have been arrested even though CCTV footage caught the gruesome shooting of the Lemons hitmaker in Durban.

One woman started an online petition named Justice for Kiernan Forbes on Change.org, which aims to get his murder solved.

Source: Briefly News