Police kill hostage taker after women slain

A LIMPOPO man, who went on a crime spree and killed two women, was shot dead by police on Sunday.

Joel Masila, 33, initially took one of the victims, Sarah Mokwela from her home on Sunday morning before fatally shooting her, police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said yesterday. Police were only notified about the incident on Sunday night by 25-year-old Mokwela’s family, while law-enforcement officers were responding to Masila’s second hostage incident in GaMatsea village.

“(Mokwela’s family) alleged that Joel Masila took Sarah from her house at about 7am yesterday morning. They were allegedly seen going into the bushes next to the nearby mountains,” Mojapelo said. After the family alerted police, a search operation was then conducted in the bushes and Mokwela’s body was found with a gunshot wound to the head.

In the second incident, Masila allegedly proceeded to a house near the University of Limpopo where he held a 50-year-old woman and her 16-year-old daughter hostage, before later killing the mother.

“The police were called to a hostage situation at GaMatsea village ... at about 3pm and on arrival, shots were allegedly fired from within the house. In the process, the injured 16-year-old girl managed to escape,” said Mojapelo.

He said after several hours of attempting to negotiate with the hostage taker, police entered the house. “It is believed that the hostage taker shot and killed the woman and then hid in the bathroom,” said Mojapelo. He said the man opened fire at police, who returned fire and he was shot dead.

The incident has been reported to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate.