JOHANNESBURG (CONVERSEER) – A 40-year-old suspect accused of killing a police officer has been located and arrested after evading law enforcement for more than a year.
The Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation team arrested Sankelo Anele Ndabezitha in Orange Farm, Johannesburg, on Tuesday, 2 December 2025.
He had been on the run since June 2023 and was circulated as a wanted suspect in connection with the murder of Detective Sergeant Sepadile of Batlharos Detectives near Kuruman.
Ndabezitha allegedly shot the officer during a confrontation that followed an altercation between the suspect and a drinking companion. He then fled the scene, prompting a widespread search supported by various Hawks units, including Tactical Operations Management Section (TOMS) and National Priority Violent Crime teams.
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After an identification process confirmed his identity, Ndabezitha appeared before the Mothibistad Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 3 December 2025, and is expected to return for legal representation and a bail application. He faces charges including murder, attempted murder, unlawful discharge of a firearm, and malicious damage to property.
