By Staff Reporter
HOEDSPRUIT-Police have launched a manhunt after Hoedspruit businessman was reportedly shot dead on the R40 road in Hazyview, Mpumalanga.
The 35-year-old businessman, Adriano dos Santos, was shot dead on Friday morning while travelling with his family from Hoedspruit in a white Toyota Fortuner with a driver to meet someone in Nelspruit.
As they were passing Hazyview, the man who was driving at the time reportedly received a call and then stopped next to a fuel station nearby.
Thereafter, it is said that he drove a few metres from the filling station then stopped again on the roadside,” police spokesperson Brig Selvy Mohlala said.
He said an occupant from a white Nissan NP200 without number plates disembarked and went straight to the businessman and shot him three times.
“Thereafter, the suspects fled the scene, leaving behind the victim bleeding profusely. There are no reports of injuries from the other person who was with the businessman.”
Dos Santos was certified dead at the scene.
In response to the incident, authorities immediately closed the R40 road, which connects Hazyview and Bushbuckridge, as they conducted a thorough search of the area for any potential evidence or leads related to the crime.
The motive for the killing remains unknown.
Police are appealing to anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of the suspects to contact nearest police station or the Crime Stop hotline number on 0860010111. Information will be treated with strict confidentiality.
The manhunt and investigations are still underway.
