Malawi — The Acting National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, has announced the arrest of a third suspect linked to the murders of a couple in the Kruger National Park last month.
The suspect, identified as 26-year-old Mozambican national Macandze Lionel da Marta, was apprehended in Zimbabwe after fleeing the initial investigation. He is currently awaiting deportation to Mozambique, where he will face murder charges alongside two other suspects.
The first two suspects in the case were arrested in Mozambique on June 1 and June 2, 2026. During that same period, authorities recovered the victims’ vehicle in Mozambique. The third suspect initially evaded capture and crossed the border into Zimbabwe, where he was subsequently traced and arrested by law enforcement.
Lieutenant General Dimpane commended the cross-border cooperation that led to the apprehension, specifically citing the collaborative efforts of SAPS, SANPARKS, the Criminal Investigation Directorate of the Republic of Mozambique (SERNIC), and the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 31st Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO) Chiefs of Police Meeting in Malawi, Dimpane stated that the arrest proves criminals cannot evade justice by crossing international borders.
“This successful arrest underscores the strength of regional policing cooperation,” Dimpane said. She noted that through SARPCCO, SADC member countries continue to share intelligence, coordinate operations, and support one another to ensure criminals have no safe haven within the region. She added that the partnership with SERNIC and the Zimbabwean police demonstrates the effectiveness of united law enforcement efforts in combating transnational crime.
Dimpane concluded with a directive to offenders, stating that criminals will be pursued across borders and brought before the courts to answer for their crimes through collective regional efforts.