Cops mum on Ngombane probe

2005-06-28 18:04

Bloemfontein - Free State police could give no information on Tuesday into the progress made in the murder investigation of Noby Ngombane, a senior Free Sate government official killed in front of his home almost three months ago.

"The task team is working continuously on this matter. When I say continuously, every lead they get they follow up," said senior superintendent Sam Sesing of Free State police.

An unknown man or men gunned down Ngombane, 38, at his Hillsborrow house in Bloemfontein on March 22.

He had gone outside to investigate a vehicle that had pulled up when the occupants fired at him. He ran back to the house while they continued shooting.

Ngombane collapsed in the kitchen and was rushed to the Hydromed Hospital where he died about an hour later from his wounds.

Rumours of assassination

At the time of his death, Ngombane was the head of the Free State government's policy-monitoring and evaluation unit in Premier Beatrice Marshoff's office.

He was also a close confidant and spokesperson of Marshoff, and a former spokesperson of the African National Congress in the Free State.

After the shooting, rumours surfaced that the killing was an "assassination" because the incident did not appear to be a robbery attempt.

This was fuelled at his funeral when his wife, Nokwanda, proclaimed in a speech her husband's murder was a "political assassination".

It was reported earlier that various ANC officials had been questioned as part of the investigation.

R100 000 reward stands

Sesing said, however, police could not disclose the names of the people questioned or the results of the questioning for fear of jeopardising the investigation.

"We do not know what influence that will have on the people and the investigation," he said.

Police offered a R100 000 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the killers.

The reward still stands, said Sesing.

- SAPA