Seven‑year manhunt ends: Fugitive in constable’s murder surrenders
The 34 year old suspect, linked by forensic evidence to the 2020 shooting and carjacking, surrendered in Kwaggafontein.
After seven years on the run, a fugitive suspected in the murder of Constable Thabo Mdluli has surrendered. The 34-year-old suspect, tied to the 2020 shooting and carjacking, gave himself up in Kwaggafontein on September 22nd. Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi, a spokesperson for the Murder Police, explained that Mdluli was fatally shot during an attempted stop of a suspicious white Toyota Corolla on May 23rd, 2020.
Nkosi detailed that the officers, including a Sergeant and a female Constable, approached the vehicle after noticing the three male occupants. One of the occupants allegedly feigned a medical emergency to distract the officers. Upon ordering the occupants out, one suspect allegedly produced a gun and opened fire, fatally wounding Constable Mdluli.
The suspects fled, leaving behind one occupant who claimed to have been a carjacking victim. Forensic investigation revealed fingerprints on the vehicle linked the 34-year-old suspect to the crime, leading to his arrest. The suspect has been charged with murder and carjacking and will appear before Mokobola Magistrate's Court on September 23rd, 2026.
The breakthrough is attributed to the collaborative efforts between Kwaggafontein detectives and the DPCI Serious Organized Crime Investigation unit in Middelburg. Provincial Head of the DPCI in Mpumalanga, Major General Nico Gerber, praised the investigators for their perseverance despite the long investigation period, emphasizing the importance of not losing hope in bringing serious offenders to justice.
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