Gen Fannie Masemola is confident of imminent arrests following the murder of Witness D, Marius van der Merwe. Image:Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers/IOL Graphics Police are confident that they are edging closer to finding the shooters involved in the assassination ofWitness D at the Madlanga Commission, Marius ‘Vlam’ van der Merwe. Van der Merwe was gunned down on Friday night in front of his wife and children in Brakpan.
At the time, police said van der Merwe arrived at his home with his wife, andas he was about to open the gate, he was shot and sustained wounds to his upper body. “He was certified dead at the scene. His wife who was a passenger in the car, escaped unharmed and it should be noted that nothing was taken seeing that his firearm, cellphone and wallet were still in his possession,” said police spokesperson, Brig Athlenda Mathe.
She stated that evidence gathered at the scene,confirmed an AK47 automatic riflewas used in the commission of the crime. Addressing the media at a briefing on Monday, national police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola said police are confident of a breakthrough. “We are confident that soon we will register a breakthrough as police remain on high alert for those behind the killing of Mr Van Der Merwe,” Masemola said.
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A white Chevrolet bakkie that was abandoned in Alexandra township fits the description of the vehicle abandoned on Saturday morning by two men, just hours after van Der Merwe was shot and killed. He added that police have also located a vehicle used in the hit. “On the evening of the murder of the deceased, video footage shows a white bakkie pulling up behind his vehicle as he was about to open the gate to his residence and he was thereafter shot several times and died on the scene. At this stage, we do believe that the white Chevrolet bakkie that was abandoned in Alexandra township, right here in Johannesburg fits the description of the vehicle that we have been looking for.
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