Durban – The KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Willies Mchunu, has welcomed the arrest of a hit and run suspect, who claimed the life of a traffic officer.
On 22 September, Road Traffic Inspectorate (TRI) officer, Thuli Nhlengethwa, 35, from Pinetown, was conducting a speed timing exercise on the N2 Spaghetti junction (Durban) with her team.
She attempted to stop a silver Audi vehicle, which did not have number plates on display. Apparently, the Audi was travelling at 141km/h when the driver knocked Nhlengethwa over and fled the scene. Unfortunately, the officer died on the scene.
Later, the South African Police Service (SAPS) established that the silver Audi was reported stolen in Roodepoort Police Station in Gauteng.
Last night, the police confirmed the arrest of a 24-year-old suspect in Langa, Cape Town, where he was apparently hiding.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Jay Naicker said plans were at an advanced stage to bring the suspect back to Durban, where he is expected to appear in court and be charged with culpable homicide and reckless driving. Naicker said they were investigating the possibility of bringing in additional charges.
Commenting in the wake of the arrest, Mchunu said this was an indication that the long arm of the law was effective no matter where criminals were hiding.
“I wish to applaud the SAPS for their tireless effort in hunting down this suspect. This breakthrough is very important and will send a strong message to all motorists that any criminal acts won’t be tolerated,” he said.
“Without zooming in on the merits of this case, we would want to see a harsher sentence imposed on the suspect. This is not only because he allegedly killed one of our own, but due to the failure to take responsibility for his actions.
“I hope his arrest will assist the Nhlengethwa family to find closure,” said Mchunu. – Bhekisisa Mncube, SAnews.gov.za
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