Among those arrested is Raphael Msalanyama Mano (35), a former police officer and ex-intelligence operative from Gaza Province, Mozambique. Investigators allege that Mano fired the fatal shot using a firearm. The remaining four suspects are believed to have played various supporting roles in the commission of the crime, according to police sources familiar with the matter.
Following their arrest, police escorted the suspects to the deceased’s residence, where they reportedly demonstrated how the murder was carried out. Authorities say the exercise formed part of ongoing investigations. All five suspects remain in custody as police finalise a docket for prosecution.
However, as the case progresses, legal experts are urging investigators to proceed with caution to avoid undermining the prosecution.
Legal analyst Khumbo Soko warns that criminal investigations must be conducted with the courtroom — not the public gallery — as the primary focus. He notes that the only audience that ultimately matters in a criminal trial is the judge.
“Courts do not trade in emotions,” Soko has argued, adding that judges decide cases strictly on evidence, procedure, and legality. He cautions that highly publicised investigative reconstructions and displays, if not handled within strict legal bounds, risk opening procedural gaps that defence lawyers can later exploit.
According to Soko, effective investigators work quietly and methodically, compiling a solid, gap-free docket that anticipates defence strategies and withstands judicial scrutiny. When investigations are bungled, he says, even seemingly strong cases collapse, resulting in dismissals that erode public trust in the justice system.
As police continue to prepare the case against the suspects, observers say the true test will not be public reaction but whether investigators can present a coherent, lawful, and persuasive case in court.
