Babita Deokaran suspects

Image via: @LirandzuThemba / Twitter

Babita Deokaran: TWO more suspects arrested with ‘a LOT of cash’ [video]

Senior Gauteng Health official, Babita Deokaran, was shot and killed outside her home on 23 August 2021 and the number of suspects are growing…

Babita Deokaran suspects

Image via: @LirandzuThemba / Twitter

A further two suspects have been arrested for the murder of 53-year-old, Senior Gauteng Health official, Babita Deokaran. 

Babita Deokaran, who was the Chief Director: Financial Accounting at the GDOH and, at times, acted as the Chief Financial Officer, was shot multiple times in the upper body outside her home in Mondeor, Johannesburg shortly after she dropped her teenage daughter at school. 

It was later revealed by The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) that she was a witness in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) investigations. 

SEVEN SUSPECTS INITIALLY ARRESTED FOR MURDER OF BABITA DEOKARAN 

Shortly after the death of Babita Deokaran and her subsequent funeral, seven suspects were arrested. By the time the court appearance came around, however, the number of suspects had been downgraded to six as there was insufficient evidence against one of them. 

After their court appearance on Monday 30 August – exactly one week after Babita Deokaran’s death – the suspects were named by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). 

Phakamani Hadebe, Zitha Hadebe, Nhlangano Ndlovu, Sanele Mbele, Simphiwe Mazibuko and Phakanyiswa Dladla will remain in custody until the next appearance scheduled for Monday 13 September. 

WATCH: TWO MORE SUSPECTS ARRESTED, SAYS CELE 

Cele confirmed on Thursday 2 August, that two more suspects were arrested for the murder of Babita Deokaran, bringing the total number of suspects to eight. He also said they were arrested along with two cars, a firearm and a large amount of cash. 

“The investigation is progressing where two more people have been arrested with two cars and one firearm but interestingly, looks like they have been arrested with a lot of cash in their cars,” he said. 

“That was an expensive exercise so there were people getting a lot of money each to pull the mission off, killing Babita [Deokaran],” he added. 

Cele said he hopes the latest suspects will be able to tell police where the cash came from.