KEY POINTS
- Four Lesotho nationals were arrested for the murder of Constable Sephooa.
- Two other officers were killed in a separate attack in QwaQwa.
- Authorities are seeking more information and expect additional arrests.
South African authorities have arrested four Lesotho nationals in connection with the murder of Constable Justice Sephooa, a Free State police officer attached to the Ficksburg Crime Intelligence Unit.
According to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), two armed men forced their way into Sephooa’s home on January 21, 2025, where one of them shot him twice before fleeing the scene.
After weeks of investigation, a joint operation between the Hawks, the North West Tactical Response Team (TRT), and the National Intervention Unit (NIU) led to the arrest of the four suspects on February 1, 2025, in Stilfontein, North West.
According to IOL, the suspects have been transferred to Bethlehem and are expected to appear in the Ficksburg Magistrates’ Court on murder charges.
More officers targeted in Free State killings
Constable Sephooa is not the only officer to fall victim to violent crime in the province this year.
Earlier in January 2025, two police officers, Constables Sipho Mohapi and Gedione Motloung, were gunned down while responding to a house robbery complaint in QwaQwa.
Moreover, authorities have arrested three suspects in connection with their murders.
One of the accused, a 32-year-old Lesotho national, Pakiso Lethako, was taken into custody on January 15, 2025.
Another suspect, 27-year-old Marasane Kabelo Anmony, was arrested while attempting to escape on horseback near the Monontsha Port of Entry, where he was found in possession of a stolen cellphone and a firearm linked to the crime.
The third suspect, a 53-year-old man, was tracked down and arrested in Phuthaditjhaba.
However, authorities have not ruled out additional arrests as they continue investigating both cases.
Public urged to assist with investigation
Law enforcement officials are calling on the public to come forward with any information that could help in the ongoing investigations.
Hawks spokesperson, Colonel Katlego Mogale, urged anyone with knowledge about these cases to contact Detective Captain Michael Masekoa at 082 455 6063.
The investigation seeks to establish possible associations between these suspects and criminal activities throughout the region, as attacks against police officers continue to increase.
