Police arrest seven suspects linked to murder of Gauteng health official

The police have swooped on seven suspects who are allegedly linked to the murder of Gauteng Department of Health official Babita Deokaran who was gunned down outside her home on Monday.

Gauteng Premier David Makhura earlier said that there was a link between the murder of health official, Deokaran, the Department of Health’s chief director of financial accounting and people who are currently facing PPE tender fraud charges. Deokaran was gunned down by unknown suspects in Winchester Hills as she was returning home from dropping off her child at school. She was taken to hospital where she later succumbed to her injuries.

National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, General Khehla Sitole said in a statement on Friday morning that seven suspects who are believed to be linked to the murder had been arrested. 

A case of murder was registered by Mondeor Police Station and transferred to the Provincial Head Office for investigation by the SAPS Serious and Violent Crimes Unit.

SAPS Gauteng Serious and Violent Crimes Unit in collaboration with SAPS Johannesburg K9, Johannesburg East Crime Intelligence, Fedelity Specialised Services and Community Active Protection operationalised information received and conducted a takedown operation at the suspects’s hideouts in Johannesburg. During the arrests, the police recovered two firearms and two vehicles.

Sithole said the team of experienced investigators caught a break in the case when they received information that led to the arrest of the suspects from Crime Intelligence.

The case docket has been transferred to the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation for further police investigation. There is a possibility of more charges being added to the charge of murder when the suspects appear in court soon.

Sitole commended the investigating team’s breakthrough in the case. “I am confident that the Hawks will work tirelessly to ensure that justice is served,” Sitole said.