PRETORIA – A 28-year-old Mpumalanga man is scheduled to appear before the Bushbuckridge Magistrate's Court on Monday facing charges of attempted murder, possession of unlicensed firearm with ammunition as well as possession of suspected stolen property.
Mpumalanga SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said last week police attended a crime scene at College View, in Bushbuckridge, where two young men were reportedly assaulted by community members after being accused of theft.
Mohlala said one of the assaulted men died and the other one was taken to hospital for treatment.
“Whilst busy with their investigation at the scene, police were surprised to see two other young men who were armed, emerging and running away. They were being chased by some members of the community,” Mohlala said.
Police officers were informed that the two fleeing men had just committed a robbery at a spaza shop near the Bushbuckridge Magistrate’s Court.
“The astute members then gave chase and one of the young men fired shots at the police but the members cornered and arrested him as he ran into the nearby river,” Mohlala said.
One of the two fleeing men evaded the arrest and is still at large.
“The arrested suspect was reportedly found in possession of a firearm with ammunition as well as some plastic bags full of cigarettes which are suspected to have been stolen during the robbery,” Mohlala said.
“The firearm will undergo some forensic tests as part of the investigation and police cannot rule out the possibility of linking him to other crimes committed elsewhere.”
The man has been identified by the South African Police Service as Xolani Mashiloane, and he made his first appearance in the Bushbuckridge Magistrate’s Court last week.
Mashiloane was remanded in custody and his case was postponed to today for a formal bail application.
IOL