The office of the Provincial Commissioner of SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma, reported few days ago that a police officer was robbed of his service pistol while driving with a suspect who was to be questioned about a murder case.
Immediately after the incident, police launched a manhunt for the suspect and on 28 February 2021, a 31 year old man who is believed to be the suspect, has been arrested, however, admitted at hospital under police guard after he reportedly shot himself.
It all unfolded on 28 February 2021, when members of a certain family found the suspect armed with a firearm inside their house. Whilst still wondering how the suspect gained entry, the suspect reportedly shot himself.
Police were alerted about the incident and upon their arrival at the scene, they found him in a pool of blood with the firearm belonging to the police in his hand but on closer look, they noticed that he was still breathing. They also found some ammunition at the scene and observed a broken window pane in the house which suggests that the suspect might have used it to gain entry.
The suspect was then arrested and medical personnel were immediately summoned to the scene where he was ferried to hospital.
Police further realised that this is the suspect they were searching for, in a case of murder and robbery which took place on Friday 19 February 2021. They suspect that he was also involved in a robbery which occurred recently where a firearm was used. When the suspect absconded with the police firearm, he was to be questioned about a woman who was stabbed to death in Dullstroom.
His arrest is a breakthrough because in the recent armed robbery incident, it is said that a businessman was robbed of an undisclosed amount of cash at gunpoint last week Friday, 26 February 2021. Reports indicate that the victim closed his tuckshop, took a walk in Dullstroom when a suspect approached him where he held him hostage at gunpoint and then robbed him of his money before fleeing the scene.
The suspect is currently facing a charge of house breaking with intent to commit a crime which is unknown to the state, illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, armed robbery as well as common robbery.
Police cannot rule out any possibilities of linking the suspect to other cases and he is expected to appear before court as soon as he gets better.
