Johannesburg - Mpumalanga’s top cop has launched a manhunt for the suspect who pulled the trigger and killed a 43-year-old police sergeant in Bushbuckridge on Friday night.
Mpumalanga provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma ordered a manhunt on Saturday after the police sergeant Dominic Monana was shot dead on Friday evening at Gamotibidi Trust in Bushbuckridge.
He was traveling with a woman, described as a friend, and was off-duty, when they were confronted by four armed suspects.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi said the suspects drove alongside the deceased's car and pretended as if they wanted to have a conversation with the deceased.
“As he opened the window of his car, the suspects pointed firearms at him, demanded his firearm and cellphones.
“These ruthless assailants are said to have then fired several shots at Sergeant Monana.
“They then pulled him and his friend out of the car, took his state firearm and two cell phones, before fleeing the scene in his vehicle,” said Hlathi.
Monana died on the scene, while the woman was not hurt.
“A case of murder with an additional charge of car hijacking was opened and police immediately mobilised all the necessary resources to attend to the crime scene where a 72-Hour Activation Plan was implemented to track the suspects, hence the manhunt.
“The hijacked vehicle was later recovered at Violet Bank near Bushbuckridge,” he said.
The police said Monana was stationed at the Calcutta Police Station, while Zuma paid his condolences to the family.
“I am confident that the prompt implementation of the 72-Hour Activation Plan which includes experts from various environments in the police will surely yield positive results and ensure that the suspects are put behind bars. " said Zuma.
The police have appealed to anyone with information to contact Detective Warrant Officer Mduduzi Aubrey Motubatsi at 0723203194, or call the Crime Stop number at 08600 10111. Alternatively members of the public can send information via MYSAPSAPP. All information received will be treated as confidential.
IOL