[FILE] Bheki Cele and Western Cape police commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile were both present at Bara’s first court appearance at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court. Photos: SAPS.
Bheki Cele says Yanga ‘Bara’ Nyalara’s arrest ‘will solve many other cases’
Cele believes the arrest of the ‘criminal mastermind’ will solve many cases in Khayelitsha, which has been torn apart by mass shootings.
[FILE] Bheki Cele and Western Cape police commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile were both present at Bara’s first court appearance at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court. Photos: SAPS.
The Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, and Western Cape police boss Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile were both present at Yanga Endrey Nyalara’s, also known as ‘Bara’, first court appearance on Monday, 4 July.
CELE PRAISES POLICE WORK THAT LED TO NYALARA’s ARREST
The Western Cape police described Nyalara as the most wanted criminal in the province. He was the run from the authorities for quite some time before his arrest in Bothasig during an intelligence-driven operation on Friday, 1 July.
READ: Drug bust leads to arrest of suspect wanted for multiple crimes including murder
Cele’s spokesperson, Lirandzu Themba, said the police believe Nyalara, 30, is the alleged criminal mastermind behind the mass shootings that have taken place in Khayelitsha, Cape Town.
“Police have done a good job putting this man who thought he could live without impunity behind bars, this arrest will gain us some ground in our efforts to fight crime in the province.
“We believe the arrest of ‘Bara’ will solve many other cases going forward, especially in the Khayelitsha area that has been torn by various scenes of multiple murders,” said Cele himself.
Nyalara faces multiple murder charges in which at least 19 people were killed. He is also charged under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, attempted murder, robbery, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition and drug dealing.
According to his charge sheet, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) alleges that Nyalara is a prominent member of a criminal gang that runs an extortion racket in Khayelitsha.
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