Brits - A 24-year-old man, accused of murdering a North West police officer, briefly appeared in the Brits Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, police said.
Spokesperson Warrant Officer Mpeile Talane said Thabang Maleka was arrested in Temba in Gauteng on Monday, after he had been on the run for four months. He was wanted in connection with the murder of Constable Samuel Hlongwane.
The case against him was postponed to October 10.
Hlongwane, 35, was off duty when he was gunned down and his friend robbed of his car in Letlhabile near Brits on June 2, he was walking along Letlhabile main road when his friend driving in a BMW, stopped for a chat.
They were still talking when two unknown men confronted and pointed them with firearms.
Hlongwane was shot but, managed to retaliate and shot one of the men. The third suspect allegedly came with a getaway car, picked up the wounded man and dropped him off at the Letlhabile clinic. The other man drove off in Hlongwane's friend's car. Hlongwane was certified dead on the scene.
Taxi operators and some members of the community followed the car to the clinic where they allegedly beat the wounded suspect until he died.
The police managed to recover the BMW as well as the suspects’ getaway car on June 3, in Soshanguve north of Pretoria.
Suprise Mokoebo, 33, was the first to be arrested in connection with Hlongwane's murder, he is facing a charge of murder and hijacking. He was arrested on August 4, in Mabopane north of Pretoria.