A 54 years old male Zambian national has been shot dead in Germiston, South Africa by unknown people.
Kenneth Sikopo, a businessman based in the small city in the East Rand region of Gauteng, is reported to have been shot seven times by two assailants at about 20:00 hours local time last week.
According to information made available to the Zambian Mission in Pretoria, Mr. Sikopo was shot at his business premises in the presence of his clients and friends.
The assailants are said to have entered his internet café and immediately closed the exit doors, before shooting him and fleeing the scene without robbing the premises of anything.
The police in Germiston have since instituted investigations to ascertain the motive of his killing but have so far ruled out xenophobia as a motive behind his murder.
Mr. Sikopo’s body was taken to Germiston State mortuary and is scheduled to be buried at waterfall cemetery with the help of the Zambia Association in South Africa (ZASA).
This follows his family in Zambia signing an affidavit to have Mr. Sikopo buried in South Africa owing to logistical challenges to repatriate his body to Zambia.
And Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa Emmanuel Mwamba is saddened by the murder of Mr. Sikopo.
Mr. Mwamba has described the murder as barbaric and senseless, calling on the Police to urgently bring the assassins to book.
This is contained in a statement issued by first secretary press and public relations at the Zambian Mission in South Africa Naomi Nyawali.
Ends/SK