# The Randburg Magistrate’s Court has heard that a Hawks investigator leading the probe into the murder of colleague Frans Mathipa, was himself the target of an assassination attempt in December. Thirteen Defence Force soldiers are accused of orchestrating the assassination of Mathipa and the kidnapping of two Ethiopian nationals linked to Isis. Mathipa was gunned down on the N1 near Hammanskraal in August 2023. The accused’s identities may not be revealed pending an identity parade, and the names of the investigator and the prosecutor may not be published.
Hawks investigator survives alleged SANDF‑orchestrated hit