GQEBERHA – Police have arrested a 33-year-old man in connection with the brutal assassination of National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) prosecutor Tracy Brown, who was gunned down outside her Gqeberha home last month.
Brown, 42, was killed in cold blood by four armed men on the evening of July 31, 2025, in an attack that took place in front of her Young Park residence. The Regional Court prosecutor’s murder sent shockwaves through the legal community and prompted an intensive manhunt.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), commonly known as the Hawks, mobilised a multidisciplinary investigation team. Led by the Gqeberha Serious Organised Crime Investigation (SOCI) unit of the Hawks and working closely with various South African Police Service (SAPS) units, investigators identified a suspect.
According to a media statement issued by Lieutenant Colonel Avele Fumba, authorities discovered that the suspect had fled to Johannesburg shortly after the killing in an apparent attempt to evade capture. Investigators received critical intelligence on August 21, 2025, indicating the suspect was traveling back toward Gqeberha.
Acting on this information, the investigative team executed a precisely coordinated roadblock operation in the early hours of August 21. The suspect’s vehicle was intercepted, and he was successfully apprehended.
The arrest represents a significant breakthrough in the high-profile case that has highlighted concerns about the safety of legal professionals in South Africa.
Provincial Head of the Hawks, Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya, emphasized that while the arrest marks important progress, the investigation is far from over.
“The arrest is a significant step forward, but by no means the end,” Ngwenya stated. “The Hawks will not allow criminals to intimidate the justice system and will ensure that all those behind the ruthless killing are brought to justice.”
The suspect, who remains in custody, is scheduled to make his first court appearance at the Gqeberha Magistrate’s Court on Monday, August 25, 2025. He will face charges relating to the murder of the state prosecutor.
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