Delmas – Two men accused of killing an off-duty policeman have been remanded in custody by the Delmas/Victor Kanya Magistrate’s Court, in Mpumalanga.
The suspects, 26-year-old Alfred Qwabe and 35-year-old August Khoza appeared in court on Monday after they were arrested at the weekend.
Khoza handed himself over to the police on Sunday, (12 May 2024).
He had allegedly evaded arrest during the attack of the police officer and the other three victims.
Qwabe was arrested a day earlier, on Saturday.
The suspect was arrested when he attempted to report a false case of car hijacking.
The pair face several charges including:
- murder;
- three counts of Attempted Murder;
- armed robbery;
- two additional charges of attempted murder of police officers.
Their case was postponed to Thursday, (16 May 2024).
Allegations are that, last week on Tuesday at about 16:30, an off-duty police officer was driving with three females in his private car when two gunmen attacked them.
The assailants fatally wounded the police officer and robbed him of his service pistol and cash.
One of the female passengers was also shot in the lower body and was rushed to the hospital for medical treatment.
The other two females were not harmed
Police in Delmas were alerted of the attack and the suspects’ getaway vehicle was described to them.
The police later saw the vehicle fitting the description of the getaway car and tried to stop it.
Instead, the occupants of the getaway car shot at the police, and a shootout ensued.
Overwhelmed by the police fire, the suspects left their car and ran away on foot.
Hawks spokesperson in Mpumalanga Captain Dineo Sekgotodi said a breakthrough occurred when one of the suspects went to Daveyton Police Station, in Gauteng, to open a case of car hijacking.
The “complainant” indicated that the “hijacking” happened in the Delmas Policing area, in Mpumalanga.
A case docket was registered and transferred to the Delmas police station.
However, Captain Dineo Sekgotodi said the Hawks investigated further and linked the hijacking “complainant” to the murder of the policeman.
“The suspect, who is the complaint in a false carjacking case, was phoned,” said Captain Dineo Sekgotodi.
“On arrival at Delmas Police Station, he was arrested and charged.”
