Three men knifed an alleged drug dealer to death in a Bellville parking lot on Friday April 5 in what police suspect was a drug deal gone bad.
A 38-year-old Nigerian was sitting in a Hyundai Getz, parked opposite the Bellville Velodrome in Carl Cronje Drive, at 12.50pm, when he was killed, according to Bellville police spokesman, Captain Jonathan Blankenberg.
“Witnesses on the scene say that the men fled the scene of the crime in a white Honda Ballade that had a yellow licence plate but with no numbers,” he said.
The victim was a well-known drug dealer, who had been arrested on a few occasions previously for drugs possession and dealing, Captain Blankenberg said.
“The victim was stabbed multiple times, and on the scene there was were drugs on the floor by the victim and in his car. From the evidence on the scene, police suspect that the incident happened as a result of a drug deal gone wrong.”
A witness, who did not want to be named for their own safety, said the three coloured men had approached the Hyundai and, after a brief conversation, two of the men had stabbed the victim, while the third stood close by, appearing as though he had a gun.
The witness said: “After the stabbing, the three guys got in a white Honda that was parked nearby and sped away towards Mispel Road.”
The witness said the victim had been seen on a few occasions at the scene conducting “business” in various vehicles and that the area was a regular meeting spot for such activity during the night, but rarely during the day.
When the Northern News arrived on the scene, the victim’s car was still parked in the lot with his body still in the car.
The stab wounds could be seen on his stomach and chest while he was lying with his back on top of the middle console of the car and his head against the driver’s seat.
Police yellow tape surrounded the scene, and, along with police officers, there were also three groups of men standing around, which made the spooked the witness extremely afraid as as he believed the loiterers were the victim’s “colleagues”.
Gene Lohrentz, of the Tygervalley CID, said he was aware of the incident, but he declined to comment on the issue as it was an ongoing police investigation.
Western Cape SAPS spokesman Colonel Lieutenant André Traut confirmed that the incident took place and that police are investigating the matter.
Police have encouraged the public to report any information about the crime. The killers are still at large.
