ONE of Richards Bay’s most wanted housebreakers was killed in a shootout with police at Nseleni.
Investigators had been on the trail of Bobowakhe Mathenjwa (35) for days and working under the command of Detective Commander Lt Col Dennis Nene, the suspect’s whereabouts were located and his place of residence was placed under surveillance.
Attempting to avoid arrest as the net closed in, Mathenjwa opened fire on police and was fatally wounded, passing away on the scene.
He was known to be an associate of another notorious burglar and house robber, Sabelo Mlungisi Mkhwanazi (29), who was arrested in Richards Bay on 28 September.
He was found to be in possession of a weapon stolen from the home of uThungulu Deputy Mayor, Cllr Thulani Mashaba during a robbery, and has twice appeared in court.
Detectives are in the process of ballistics testing that may link the weapon used by Mathenjwa to other shootings in the town.
Meanwhile, police have failed to recover a body in Lake Sontwayo, behind the LAC Centre in Meerensee after a suspect dived into the water following a shootout with police in the early hours last Wednesday.
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