NOLUTHANDO DLAMINI
Durban – Two suspects are expected to appear in various courts charged with the attempted murder of a metro police official who is currently in a critical condition.
It alleged that a suspected notorious gang boss and his bodyguards were involved in severely assaulting the 61-year-old police officer on March 9.
Hawks spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo, said a joint operation conducted with members from Anti-Gang unit, working together with the Provincial Tracing Team, Tactical Response Team, Metro Police, and private security on March 13 led to the arrest of the suspect.
“A case of attempted murder was reported at Verulam police station. Last night (Wednesday), a joint operation was conducted and the main suspect was arrested in Verulam and charged for attempted murder. Members proceeded to Ballito where the second suspect was arrested.
“During his arrest, he was found in possession of firearm with live rounds of ammunition. He was further charged for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition,” he said.
Mhlongo explained that the suspect’s arrest led police to a certain house in KwaDukuza where five firearms were recovered.
“A 45-year-old suspect who was found in the house was arrested and charged for unlawful possession of firearm, as well as ammunition. The seized firearms will be sent for ballistics tests to ascertain if they were used in the commission of any crime in the country.”
Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident, Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi recently commended the multidisciplinary team that tracked down a police killer to Clermont on Monday.
The suspect, who was wanted for the killing of an off-duty police officer, died in a gun battle with police officers.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said following an investigation, police received information about one of the killers being in a Clermont informal settlement.
He said upon arrival the police were met with gunfire and the suspect who is in his thirties, sustained fatal injuries following the shootout.
“Two firearms were recovered from the suspect. Investigations are ongoing to trace his accomplice. Detectives are also working on information that the deceased suspect is linked to a string of murders, robberies, and carjackings,” said Naicker.
Going into detail about the police officer’s murder, he said that early on Sunday morning, the police officer from Durban Central Station and his colleague from KwaDabeka Station, who were off duty, were visiting a private residence in Clermont when they were attacked in their vehicle.
“The deceased constable, 34, who was the driver, was killed before he was robbed of his firearm, whilst his colleague, 35, who was also robbed of his firearm, was left unharmed. The two suspects fled the scene with both policemen’s firearms, as well as a wallet and cellphone.”
According to the latest quarterly crime stats released by Police Minister Bheki Cele, 22 police officers were killed from October to December 2023; 10 were killed on duty, while the others were killed off duty.
During this period, 12 police killers were tracked down and arrested and two were convicted and sentenced to four life-terms.
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