Three Mozambican nationals are now in the dock following the brutal murder of a retired Mossel Bay couple in the Kruger National Park, with South Africa set to apply for their extradition so they can face the charges in a local court.

The police and South African government officials have praised the arrests, saying it highlights the importance of cross-border cooperation to fight crime.

Following the murder of Ernst and Dina Marais in the northern Pafuri section of the Park on 22 May, a large-scale manhunt was launched for the suspects.

The first two suspects were arrested in Mozambique on 1 and 2 June, and the couplés vehicle was also recovered.

The third suspect managed to evade arrest and fled into Zimbabwe.

But on Friday, 12 June, his luck ran out, and he was caught through a collaboration between SAPS, SANPARKS, the Criminal Investigation Directorate of the Republic of Mozambique (SERNIC) and the Zimbabwe Republic Police.

The 26-year-old Mozambican national, Macandze Lionel da Marta, will now be deported to Mozambique to face murder charges with the two other suspects.

The Acting National Police Commissioner, Puleng Dimpane, says these arrests are a clear demonstration that criminals cannot evade justice by crossing borders.

“This successful arrest underscores the strength of regional policing cooperation. Through SARPCCO, SADC member countries continue to share intelligence, coordinate operations and support one another in ensuring that criminals have no safe haven within our region. Our partnership with SERNIC and the Zimbabwean Police Service, once again demonstrates that united law enforcement efforts are more effective in combating transnational crime.”

SARPCCO stands for the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Co-operation Organisation. It is the primary regional mechanism for police forces across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to collaborate on preventing, tracking, and fighting transnational and cross-border crimes.

The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willie Aucamp, has also applauded the swift arrest of the third suspect.

“I really want to commend the effective and efficient collaborative efforts of the South African Police Service (SAPS), SANParks Rangers, Mozambique’s Criminal Investigation Directorate, and the Gonarezhou National Parks Rangers who effected the arrest of the third suspect and later handed him to the Zimbabwe Police.”

The Minister says the importance of cross-border collaboration in combating crime cannot be understated.

“I’ve said it before: we can achieve so much more if we pool our resources, collaborate and cooperate in fighting cross-border crime.”

He says these arrests should serve as a clear warning to anyone contemplating criminal activity within the Kruger National Park that such actions will be met with the full force of the law.

Aucamp again extended his condolences to the Marais family and vowed that such a tragedy would never happen again in the Kruger National Park.