Police nab suspect 24 hours after woman’s body found in suitcase
2026-03-17 - 09:33
Police have acted swiftly, arresting a suspect within 24 hours in connection with the murder of a woman whose body was discovered in a suitcase in the Eastern Cape. The man was handcuffed on Monday, a day after the woman’s body was discovered. Grim discovery Police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana said officers responded to a report after a young boy and his friends made a grim discovery of a woman’s body in a suitcase in a pond in the Maizefield area near the dumping site. “Emergency services were called to the scene, and the victim was declared deceased. A multidisciplinary team of local detectives, the District Murder Task Team, and the K9 biological dog unit was immediately assembled. “Through swift investigative work and the gathering of crucial evidence, police were able to identify and locate the crime scene and a suspect linked to the incident,” Gantana said. ALSO READ: WATCH: Ex‐Saps Special Task Force cop remains in custody over Witness D assassination Arrest Gantana said police expedited the investigation into the incident. “Within 24 hours of the discovery of the body, the 34-year-old suspect, the boyfriend of the deceased, was arrested and is currently in police custody. The suspect is expected to appear before the Aliwal North Magistrate’s Court soon on charges of murder.” “Acting Provincial Police Commissioner Major General Thandiswa Kupiso commended members involved in the investigation for their “rapid response and dedication to ensuring justice for the victim.” “The quick arrest demonstrates our commitment to combating violent crime and ensuring that those responsible for such brutal acts are brought before the courts,” said Kupiso. Police said investigations remain ongoing as authorities work to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident, including the motive for the crime. KZN hostage incident Meanwhile, in another case, a suspect who was arrested for attempted murder was shot dead when he allegedly held police officers hostage and attempted to kill them at a police station in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The event played out at the Ntuzuma Police Station on Monday morning, 16 March 2026. The suspect was arrested on Saturday. Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said two police officers were charging the suspect in the cells when he overpowered them and started assaulting them. “The hostage situation continued for several minutes before tactical police teams managed to penetrate the cells, and during the operation, the 22-year-old suspect was shot and fatally wounded. Two police officers, a male and a female, sustained minor injuries during the scuffle.” Netshiunda said investigations are continuing. NOW READ: Two people fatally shot in Bishop Lavis, Cape Town