A massive police manhunt is underway in Gauteng following the cold-blooded assassination of a renowned Johannesburg attorney. Bouwer van Niekerk, 43, was gunned down in his own Saxonwold offices in what authorities are investigating as a targeted hit.
According to official reports, the horrific incident unfolded on Friday when four individuals arrived at van Niekerk’s practice under the guise of being clients. Gauteng police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, provided a chilling account of the events.
“Information at our disposal indicates that the suspects had a pre-arranged meeting,” Nevhuhulwi stated. “Only two of the men entered the building and were taken to a boardroom. Shortly after, shots were fired. The men fled the scene immediately thereafter. The victim was declared deceased at the scene by emergency services.”
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The assailants, whose identities and motives remain a complete mystery, managed to escape and are now the subject of an intensive search by South African Police Service forces.
Police Launch Manhunt For Four Suspects In Gauteng Attorney Assassination
While the precise reason for the killing is unknown, colleagues and sources close to the investigation point to van Niekerk’s professional life, which was dominated by high-risk, high-profile litigation. He was known to have handled sensitive cases connected to the controversial Gupta family.
Furthermore, he had been a vocal critic regarding the lack of progress in the murders of other high-profile figures. He had publicly questioned the investigations into the deaths of whistleblower Babita Deokaran and the father-son legal team of Cloete and Thomas Murray.
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It has also emerged that the attorney had recently been subjected to death threats. At the time of his murder, he was reportedly immersed in a complex business rescue matter tied to a significant Ponzi scheme, adding another potential layer to the investigation into his killing. Police have urged anyone with information to come forward.