Zimbabwean cop killer arrested in SA

Cop killer: Praymore Dube
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JOHANNESBURG – One of the four Zimbabweans accused of killing a South African police officer in Johannesburg recently has been arrested.

The other three Zimbabwean suspects remain on the South African Police Services (SAPS) wanted list for murder.

According to media reports, Praymore Dube, shot Diepsloot police Captain O.A Matjie Persal (54) on the head and he died on the spot.

The three are Bongani Moyo, Mongameli Mpofu and another one only identified as Ronny.

Last week, Capt Persal and his colleague Sergeant Thipe conducted a Joint tracing operation with Diepsloot Crime Prevention following a case of attempted murder and robbery which occurred in the area.

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The case had been allegedly committed by the four suspects.

“During the tracing that was led by the informant who called the main suspect known as Praymore Dube to supply him with the live ammunition. The target told the informant to meet with him first at Ext 01 and changed again to Tanganani open space at Diepsloot Ext 3,” SAPS said.

It is reported that the detectives then hid their vehicles before taking cover at an open ground.

The informant walked to meet Praymore Dube while a police officer in civilian clothing followed him. Dube is alleged to have noticed some unusual movements and started to shoot randomly.

Dube reportedly managed to escape and Capt Persal grabbed him from behind, as he ran through a passage to the informal settlement where he was staying.

He, however, shot the detective on the neck.

After the shooting, Dube and Bongani Moyo fled.

Fury

Meanwhile, representatives of the Zimbabwean community living in South Africa said on Thursday they were “furious” that some of the alleged killers of Diepsloot policeman Oupa Matjie were Zimbabwean.

“We are saddened and furious that the alleged murderers are said to be Zimbabwean nationals,” said community spokesperson Bongani Mazwi Mkwananzi.

“We as the Zimbabwean community in South Africa express our sincerest condolences to his family, to the SAPS and the South African nation at large.”

The 54-year-old detective captain was shot dead on January 17 while tracing suspects with a colleague.

Four men have so far been arrested for the crime.

The Zimbabwean community “abhorred and loathed” criminals, according to Mkwananzi, who added that community members distanced themselves from any of their fellow citizens that committed crime in South Africa.

“[They] tarnish the good name of the majority of our countrymen who are hard working and earn their living honestly. The stiffest and harshest punishment must be meted out to those criminal elements who create environments of fear amongst the communities where Zimbabweans and South Africans live harmoniously with each other.

“We implore the community not to see such disdainful conduct as representative of the Zimbabwean community but as acts of very few criminal elements in our community whom Zimbabweans are also daily victims of. Therefore, whatever wrath there may be must be directed at criminals, via the law agencies, and not at ordinary Zimbabwean nationals.”

Mkwananzi said they were organising a crime summit in Johannesburg’s Berea on February 6 to deal with issues of crime, and urged all stakeholders to participate.

“Crime is crime and these criminals do not segregate their victims by nationality.”