South African police have arrested two Nigerian nationals, Chinedu Chukwu (39) and Ikena Obi (43), in connection with the kidnapping and murder of 49-year-old Gift Combrinck in Lydenburg, Mpumalanga.
According to provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Thulisile Magagula, a missing person’s case was opened on September 23, 2025, after Combrinck was reported missing from Kellysville, Lydenburg. His body was discovered two days later near De Clerq Street. Preliminary investigations suggested he had been kidnapped, leading to the suspects’ arrests.
Chukwu and Obi have been formally charged with kidnapping and murder. They appeared before the Mashishing Magistrate’s Court, where the case was postponed to October 2, 2025, to allow for verification of their travel documents and further investigation.
Acting provincial commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, welcomed the arrests and expressed confidence in the police investigation, assuring that “justice will prevail.”
Source:Africa Publicity
