Slain cop was probing drug case

Slain Beacon Bay detective Simphiwo Sahluko‚ 42‚ at time of his death was investigating a case of drug possession against one of two men arrested for his murder, the East London bail court heard on Friday.

One of them has allegedly confessed to his involvement in killing Sahluko, who was shot four times on August 19 at his mother’s tavern in Beacon Bay’s Nompumelelo township.

The two – Andile Marwaqana, 31, and Sinethemba Mtshini, 30 – face a charge of premeditated murder after they were dramatically arrested at East London Airport while returning a rental vehicle two days after Sahluko’s shooting.

This emerged during Mtshini’s bail application which bail court magistrate Joel Cesar later denied him.

Marwaqana, who is believed to have pulled the trigger, had earlier abandoned his bail application after allegedly confessing to the police.

Investigating officer Warrant Officer Vusumzi Sityoswana told Cesar that Marwaqana had confessed to the killing, saying he had shot Sahluko “several times until his magazine was empty”.

He said Sahluko died as a result of four gunshot wounds – in the face, chest, groin and thigh.

The investigator said Marwaqana told them he was drinking at the tavern when Sahluko approached him, telling him to leave.

“He said when he asked the deceased why he was being chased out, he was pushed out into the street before he called [Mtshini] and told him what had happened.”

He said Marwaqana told them that after he had informed Mtshini of the incident, Mtshini said to him, “we should do something to this guy before he can do anything to us”.

They then left to fetch Marwaqana’s gun at his nearby shack, went back to the tavern and waited in “a dark corner”.

The investigator said Marwaqana had since led them to Ncerha village, where the murder weapon, was hidden.