Criminal Syndicate: Hawks official arrested for kidnappings linked to Gqeberha prosecutor murder accused
In a bizarre twist of events, a police official attached to the Hawks was arrested and linked to an alleged violent organised crime group charged with at least two kidnappings and the murder of Gqeberha prosecutor Tracy Brown.
On Tuesday, September 22, 2025, a police official from the Hawks was arrested in connection with alleged violent organized crime groups responsible for at least two kidnappings and the murder of Gqeberha prosecutor Tracy Brown. The warrant officer, Xolani Busakwe, was apprehended after an extensive investigation by his colleagues. He appeared in court alongside five men accused of various violent crimes, including the murder of Brown, on Friday.
The investigation began with the discovery of two separate kidnappings in Nelson Mandela Bay last year. On June 21, 2025, Lindsay Knowlden, a Gqeberha resident, was kidnapped from the Fresh Produce Market in Markman Industrial Area and later released after ransom demands were met. On August 11, 2025, Kariega businesswoman Theresa Minnie was abducted outside her home in Fairbridge Heights and also released after ransom demands. These incidents led the Hawks to believe that the kidnappings were carried out by the same group.
In July 2025, Tracy Brown, a prosecutor at the New Brighton Magistrate's Court, was shot and killed outside her home in Gqeberha following her work shift. Her murder sent shockwaves through the community and the legal profession, highlighting the dangers faced by public prosecutors. In August 2025, Ayabulela Busakwe and Andile Mathumbu were arrested in connection with Minnie's kidnapping.
Later that year, Ayabulela Busakwe and three others were charged with Brown's murder, with Thamsanqa David Mthembu later arrested in the Free State while attempting to evade custody in Nelson Mandela Bay.
On September 3, 2025, the Busakwe brothers, Mathumbu, Simthembile Xungu, Thamsanqa Mthembu, and Buhle Mbini appeared in the Gqeberha Magistrate's Court. The charges against the accused included performing acts aimed at causing, promoting, or contributing to a pattern of criminal gang activity, in violation of the Prevention of Organized Crime Act (POCA).
While all six men face the same charges, Mathumbu and Xolani Busakwe were initially only charged with the kidnapping cases. The case was postponed until Monday due to several issues, including the absence of one accused and the unavailability of the presiding magistrate and State advocate. The matter is expected to be transferred to the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court in Gqeberha shortly. All the accused remain in custody.
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