Durban — After nabbing the two alleged trigger-pullers who attempted to assassinate South African Revenue Service (Sars) forensic investigator advocate Coreth Naude, police are now hunting for more suspects, including the possible mastermind.
In the Durban Magistrate’s Court, on Monday, the State announced its intention to oppose bail for the two men. The State revealed that there were outstanding suspects whom police were expected to arrest. The two men were arrested in Cape Town. Siyanda Emmanuel Mbulwana, 29, lives in Bellview Estate, while his counterpart Mcebisi Runeyi, 28, is from Portland, Cape Town. The State had to find a Xhosa language interpreter for the accused.
It also emerged that accused number two, Runeyi, was being sought by police after he did not return to court for another pending schedule 6 case. This was likely to strengthen the State’s fight against his bail application.
The two were arrested in Cape Town and charged for attempting to kill Naude in July.
They also face a case of illegal firearm possession since the semi-automatic firearms were used during the attack on Naude.
The suspects were remanded in custody for an identity parade and would be back in court on Monday for a formal bail hearing.
The State asked the court to keep the suspects in custody for seven days while detectives go through their profiles. Police are also checking if the men had previous convictions or pending cases.
Police described their arrest as a major breakthrough. On the day, Naude was driving into the Premier Hotel in Durban when she was ambushed by two armed men who opened fire on her.
The advocate managed to drive inside the hotel where she received emergency medical attention before she was rushed to hospital. The suspects fled the scene in a silver Toyota Corolla, and the case was assigned to the Provincial Serious and Violent Crime: Murder and Robbery Unit, which police said hit the ground running in search of clues and possible leads.
Police said their investigations led them to the Western Cape Province where they found the two suspects. It looks as though they were in hiding as they were found in Mitchells Plain and Milnerton, respectively.
At the time of the attempt on her life, Naude was investigating the alleged tax evasion case against provincial businesswoman Shauwn “MaMkhize” Mkhize.
A few weeks ago, the National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit pounced on her posh properties and attached several assets, including expensive cars which were seen being towed away.
The attack on Naude was described by Sars Commissioner Edward Kieswetter as an attempt to intimidate Sars officers to abandon the vital work they were performing.
It was also widely condemned by the Ministry of Justice and other social justice groups who directly linked the attack on her investigation to the tax evasion case she was investigating.
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Daily News