KEY POINTS
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Five suspects were arrested for the kidnapping, robbery, and murder of Hasani Maluleka after his ex-girlfriend reported him missing on April 11.
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Police recovered stolen vehicles, an illegal firearm, and the victim’s body from a dam near Orkney following confessions from the suspects.
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The accused will remain in custody until their next court hearing on April 30, where bail applications will be contested due to the gravity of the crimes.
In a chilling case that has gripped the North West province, five suspects have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping, robbery, and murder of 62-year-old Hasani Daniel Maluleka from Wilkoppies.
The suspects—identified as Julia Kolobi (47), Mcdonald Tsolo (39), Bongani Rampai (43), Thabo Motlatsi (50), and Kagiso Wageng (37)—appeared in the Klerksdorp Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, April 22, facing multiple charges.
The investigation began after Maluleka’s former girlfriend reported him missing on Friday, April 11, when she could no longer reach him on his phone.
Police soon discovered that his Mercedes Benz and Toyota Hilux were missing, and his home had been ransacked. “A substantial amount of money was withdrawn from his bank account during the time he was missing,” revealed police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone.
How the suspects were tracked down
The breakthrough came when Julia Kolobi was arrested on Sunday, April 13, in Jouberton’s Extension 10. The other four suspects were apprehended between April 19 and 20 in Sebokeng (Gauteng) and Kanana near Orkney. Police recovered a Volkswagen Tiguan and Golf believed to have been used in the crime, along with Maluleka’s car keys, a laptop, and an unlicensed 9mm firearm with ammunition. His Mercedes Benz was later found abandoned in Evaton.
The most harrowing moment came when the suspects led investigators to the Schoonspruit River near Orkney, where Maluleka’s body was retrieved on Monday, April 21, by police divers. “The victim was murdered before being dumped in the water,” Mokgwabone confirmed.
IOL reports that the suspects remain in custody pending their next court appearance on April 30, where they will seek legal representation and apply for bail. Authorities have vowed to oppose bail, citing the severity of the charges.
