Update
GEORGE NEWS - Bonginkosi Ndevu (28), who is accused of shooting and seriously injuring provincial traffic officer Janneké Bergman (29) from Pacaltsdorp, has been on the run from the police in the Eastern Cape since February in connection with the murder of a police constable in December 2019.
He escaped from the Mthatha Magistrate's Court in the Eastern Cape in February this year, where he was facing murder charges for the killing of Coffee Bay police constable Lonwabo Soga (26).
Ndevu, one of at least eight suspects arrested for Soga's murder, was arrested through an intelligence-driven operation conducted by the Serious Organised Crime Investigation of the Hawks, Crime Intelligence and the Tactical Response Team in Qunu on 15 January.
Police killing in Coffee Bay
Soga and his colleague, Constable Siyabonga Nani, were on duty attending to a complaint when they were approached by a group of men in a white Isuzu double-cab bakkie who pretended they needed help.
According to a press statement by the Hawks in February, one of the suspects standing at the passenger's side drew his firearm and shot Soga, who died instantly. The suspects ordered Nani, who was not armed, to put Soga in the back of the police vehicle.
They then used the police vehicle to rob a local shop owner of cash, liquor and tobacco and fled in a stolen Nissan Navara bakkie.
Southern Cape police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Pojie confirmed yesterday that Ndevu was on the run. "Further investigation revealed that Ndevu had an outstanding warrant for his arrest, issued in the Eastern Cape for serious crimes committed there. We are busy profiling the suspect to see if he is linked to other crimes. At this stage we can't divulge more information regarding other cases," said Pojie.
Suspect abandons bail application
Kristy Kolberg reports that Ndevu abandoned his bail application in the George Magistrate's Court on Tuesday for attempted murder of Bergman.
An injured Ndevu's right arm and right knee were bandaged and he was on crutches when he entered the court room. He was wearing a white blood-stained T-shirt - presumably the same one he was wearing on Friday.
He was arrested shortly after Bergman's shooting after he was spotted walking along the N2 highway near the Pacaltsdorp industrial area. During the chase to apprehend him, he opened fire on police and law enforcement and they shot back, wounding him.
Police found two firearms, one of which belonged to the traffic officer, and an undisclosed amount of money in his possession.
Bergman was shot twice, in the knee and face, and is still in hospital in a stable condition. She and her colleagues were in the process of arresting Ndevu when he pulled out a firearm and shot her.
For the Bergman shooting, Ndevu faces two charges of attempted murder as well as a charge of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. He remains in custody and will again appear in court on 5 October.
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