POLICE in South Africa have launched a hunt for a Zimbabwean suspect linked to a series of violent crimes including murder, kidnapping and possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
The wanted man has been identified as Lovemore Musoyi.
In a statement on Tuesday, the South African Police Services (Saps) alleged that Musoyi was responsible for terrorising Elandskraal, Motetema, Dennilton, Rakgoadi residents in the Sekhukhune district of Limpopo province.
“Musoyi is wanted in connection with more than 10 criminal cases, including murder, attempted murder, armed robberies, house robberies, business robberies, kidnapping, assaults, stocktheft, possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition that occurred in Elandskraal, Motetema, Dennilton, Rakgoadi policing area in Sekhukhune district,” the statement read.
"Recent incident involving Musoyi occurred on 20 June 2024 at approximately 19:45pm, where he and his accomplices carried out a brazen business robbery at a tuck shop in Mafisheng village.
“During the robbery, Musoyi viciously attacked a male victim, whom he accused of betrayal and proceeded to assault him with an axe. The criminals then looted the shop, stealing both money and soft drinks before fleeing the scene," Saps said in a media statement.
The statement signed by Limpopo Province Saps spokesman Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said in a separate incident on January 1, 2023, Musoyi escaped from a police vehicle at Moutse Mall in Dennilton which was en route to Witbank Correctional Services.
"This escape occurred alongside two other suspects, who were subsequently re-arrested. Furthermore, on 2 February 2024, Musoyi was involved in a violent altercation at his ex-girlfriend's residence, resulting in him shooting his ex-girlfriend’s brother in the mouth before he fled the scene with a television set," said Ledwaba.
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Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo, Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe, ordered a team of investigators to intensify efforts to locate and apprehend Musoyi.
Zimbabweans, who skipped the border to avoid prosecution back home, have teamed up across the Limpopo with other criminals in that country where they live in bases around Polokwane.
Taking advantage of a porous borderline between the two countries, these criminals make sporadic raids in either country where they randomly select targets.
One of Zimbabwe’s most wanted criminals Musa Taj Abdul was arrested in Beitbridge where he teamed up with other criminals including a serving policeman to attack a target but were foiled when one of their previous victims spotted them and alerted police.
