Three additional suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of a Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officer in Vlakfontein, bringing the total number of arrests to five.

The suspects, aged between 20 and 35, were apprehended on Saturday, 17 May 2025, during a joint operation led by the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation units from Vaal Rand and Pretoria, with support from multiple law enforcement agencies.

According to Hawks spokesperson Colonel Tebogo Lesego, the arrests followed an intelligence-led operation that traced the suspects to a residence in Dobsonville, Soweto. A vehicle allegedly used in the attack was recovered, along with two firearms one of which belonged to the slain officer.

The initial two suspects, aged 25 and 27, were arrested on 15 May after a JMPD officer was shot and killed while responding to an attempted robbery on Winchester Street, Vlakfontein. Officers had approached a white VW Polo matching the description linked to the crime, but were met with gunfire. The officer was declared dead at the scene, and his service weapon was stolen.

All five suspects are expected to appear at the Lenasia Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 19 May, facing charges of murder, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, and defeating the ends of justice.

Gauteng Hawks Provincial Head, Major General Ebrahim Kadwa, praised the investigative team’s swift action, vowing that attacks on law enforcement will not go unpunished.

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A Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officer was fatally shot during a pursuit of robbery suspects in Vlakfontein on the evening of Wednesday, 14 May 2025.

Officer Matome Mokoena, 33, from Region G Operations, was killed after suspects in a white VW Polo opened fire as law enforcement approached. He was later found fatally shot near a nearby residence. The suspects reportedly fled the scene with his service firearm and commandeered a marked JMPD patrol vehicle, which was later discovered abandoned in Lehae.

In a grim development, a member of the public was also found dead in the vicinity, with investigators probing a possible connection to the same suspects.

JMPD confirmed the tragedy in a statement, describing Officer Mokoena as a dedicated and valued member of the force.

“A full-scale investigation is currently underway, in collaboration with SAPS, to track down and arrest those responsible,” the department said.

The killing has sparked outrage and grief within both the JMPD and the wider community.

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