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 of Wiandre Pretorius, who was implicated in the Madlanga commission of inquiry.

Police have confirmed that Pretorius was among 12 people identified as people 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 found the next day at Duduza Dam in Nigel.

On Saturday, Pretorius allegedly took his own life 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.

Van der Merwe was murdered in December, and police have since revealed that Pretorius was a person of interest in that killing, too.

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 as Const Raymond Mzwakhe Khoza, 36, and police informant Jaco Hanekom.

Hanekom was shot dead at a filling station in March 2023.

Khoza was gunned down at his home in Tsakane after responding to a neighbour’s call for help at night.

Neighbours at the time told Sowetan his killing may have been related to him taking a stance against drug dealers in the area.

But it emerged on Sunday that his killing is being investigated by police in relation to his presence at the scene of Mbhense’s death.

A source close to Ipid investigations into Mbhense’s killing told Sowetan that Khoza was the driver of a vehicle that attended the crime scene.

The source said Hanekom, who was initially believed to have been murdered after blowing the whistle on Ekurhuleni metro police corruption involving copper cables, was also placed at the scene of Mbhense’s murder.

Mathe said police were probing whether the deaths are related to Mbhense’s murder.

“Are we dealing with a syndicate that are eliminating each other in terms of their role, their involvement in the murder of Emmanuel Mbhense? That is the aspect we are looking at,” Mathe said.

Law enforcement and crime expert Prof Mpho Matlala from Unisa college of law, school of criminal justice, said that where there is a syndicate, there would be mistrust among its members.

Matlala said the police service was desperate to absolve itself. “If anything, Gen [Fannie] Masemola’s career hinges on this (solving the murders).

“He would want to go out as the national commissioner who cleaned up the system. He is going to commit more resources to all high-profile cases, including the Mbhense case.”

Sowetan