WATCH | Crime experts suggest witnesses being silenced in Mbhense-linked deaths

The deaths of individuals linked to the murder of Emmanuel Mbhense, who died four years ago, could be efforts to stop people from turning state witnesses, pointing to mistrust within a possible criminal syndicate, crime experts said. According to Chad Thomas, CEO at IRS Forensic Investigations, there might be an attempt by those involved in the murder to get rid of loose ends to prevent anyone turning state witness. “There is definitely pressure on our law enforcement agencies to make arrests in this case as well as to break the back of this corrupt element of police officers, metropolitan police officers and security officers,” Thomas said.

His comments come after the death ofWiandre Pretorius, who was implicated in the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. Police have confirmed that Pretorius was among 12 people identified as persons of interest in a report by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) in the murder of Mbhense. Mbhense was murdered on April 15 2022 at his home in Brakpan, and his body was found the next day at Duduza Dam in Nigel.

On Saturday, Pretorius died by suicide at a Brakpan filling station, days after he survived an alleged attempted hit outside his home in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni. Marius “Vlam” van der Merwe, known as Witness D at the Madlanga commission, implicated Pretorius in Mbhense’s death during his testimony. Astron petrol station in Brakpan, Ekurhuleni, where Wiandre Pretorius took his own life on Saturday night.Video: Veli Nhlapo and@Koena_xMpic.twitter.com/WPGbsy6xde Van der Merwe was murdered in December, and police have since revealed that Pretoriuswas a person of interestin that killing, too.

[paywall]

Police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said among the 12 people, four have now died, and they were identified as having been at the scene of Mbhense’s murder. They are Pretorius and Witness D, as well asConst Raymond Mzwakhe Khoza, 36, and police informant Jaco Hanekom.

[/paywall]