A policeman has been shot dead for his gun and cellphone, which cops recovered a few hours later when they arrested his two alleged killers after they robbed a business.
The off-duty detective from Elsies River Police Station was gunned down in the early hours of Wednesday morning in Delft while walking home from a party.
Sergeant Thanduxolo Wiseman Stuma, 42, was attacked by two men who pulled up in a car next to him in front of his home in Wax Flower Street, Thubelitsha.
GONE: Thanduxolo Wiseman Stuma, 42. Picture supplied
The skelms ambushed him and wrested his cellphone and firearm from him.
Cops say Stuma was shot multiple times and died on the scene as his killers fled.
The suspects were nabbed later that morning in Mfuleni in an unrelated incident after they allegedly robbed a business in the Bellville CBD.
Police spokesperson, Brigadier Novela Potelwa, explains: “With just over an hour after unknown suspects fired several shots and robbed a business in the Bellville CBD, where they took cellphones and other items, members of the Western Cape Flying Squad caught up with the suspects and arrested two.
“They recovered a vehicle, 17 cellphones and two firearms in Mfuleni.”
She said one of the cellphones belonged to Stuma while ballistic tests are being done to see whether either of the two guns seized was used to shoot Stuma.
It is believed one of the guns is Stuma’s stolen firearm, while the Toyota Yaris the skelms drove was also stolen.
BALLISTICS: Test on guns
“Further investigations that are currently underway are looking into whether there were other suspects involved and all could be linked to other serious crime incidents,” said Potelwa.
“Indications are that more arrests are imminent as the DPCI [Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation] detectives pursue several leads.”
The two arrested suspects are aged 26 and 32 and are from Philippi and Nyanga, and will appear in court soon, Potelwa adds.
Elsies River Police Station Commander, Brigadier Sandile Sonjani, who visited Stuma’s family yesterday, described him as“a quiet, humble and disciplined police official”.
He said colleagues at the station were saddened by the tragic loss.