Woman found dead after 'bogus cops' hijack couple on the R59

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Johannesburg - Police are investigating cases of hijacking and inquest after a 65-year-old woman who was travelling with her husband when they were hijacked by bogus police officers was found dead. Gauteng SAPS spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo said details regarding what happened were still sketchy as the 68-year-old husband was still traumatised and not giving much information. "We are waiting for him to calm down so that we can get a statement from him regarding what happened. He's very traumatised," he said. According to Masondo, the couple were travelling from Vereeniging on Tuesday night when they were hijacked. "The 68-year-old husband and his 65-year-old wife were travelling along the R59 freeway and when approaching Engen Garage, they were stopped by bogus police with blue lights, pointed with firearms and hijacked of their white Toyota Hilux Double Cab.

"The suspects drove around with the victims then dropped them in the veld, telling them to run."

It's not yet known how the husband and wife were separated but Masondo said the man ran to the main road where he flagged a motorist down and got a lift to the police station.

"The police returned with him to the scene. Upon searching the whereabouts of the woman, she was found lying dead in an open veld in Rietspruit area next to Kingsley Road. The hijacked motor vehicle was found abandoned along R550 Road in Zonkizizwe," he said.

Masondo said the cause of the woman's death was not known because she did not have visible injuries, and as a consequence police have opened an inquest case.

"The inquests could be changed to murder depending on the findings of our investigations," he said.

Asked whether the hijackers had assaulted the man, Masondo said: "There was no information that he was assaulted."

* Police are appealing to anyone with information about the suspects to call 011 903 8205 or contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.

The Star