By Anita Dangazele
- Police found the 42-year-old suspect in Gqeberha after a shootout and arrested him at hospital.
- He was due to appear in court for the killing of three brothers in December 2023.
A man arrested for the killing of three brothers at an Eastern Cape initiation school has died after committing suicide in a police holding cell.
The 42-year-old was accused of shooting and killing Awonke Busakwe, 19, and his 20-year-old brother Anele, who had just started their initiation, along with their older brother, Sakhe, 25, who was their traditional nurse.
The attack took place inside their hut in Mntla village, Ngqamakhwe, just after 1am on 5 December 2023. Their 27-year-old brother Siyasanga, who was also helping as a nurse, was shot in the arm and jaw but survived.
The attack came just two months after their eldest brother, Masibulele, a well-known horse racing champion, was also gunned down nearby.
Police say they caught a break this week when they got a tip-off about the suspect’s location. He was found in the Kamvelihle informal settlement in Motherwell, Gqeberha.
He opened fire on officers during a midnight raid, but later turned up at Livingstone Hospital with a bullet wound to the thigh. Police arrested him at the hospital.
He was held at Gelvandale police station while awaiting his first court appearance in Ngqamakhwe. But before he could appear, he took his own life in the holding cells.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa said: “Police can confirm that a 42-year-old suspect was arrested in Gqeberha on Wednesday, 7 May, for three counts of murder and attempted murder.
“He was then detained at Gelvandale SAPS, where he committed suicide. He was going to appear at Ngqamakhwe Magistrate Court on Thursday, 8 May.”
Pictured above: Initiates walking through a field.
Image source: Facebook
