NATIONAL NEWS - The Mpumalanga police have launched a manhunt for three men who shot and then hijacked a police officer at Casteel in Acornhoek near Bushbuckridge on Tuesday, July 27.
The provincial police spokesperson, Brig Leonard Hlathi, said it was reported by the Bushbuckridge SAPS that a constable at the police station had been on his way to get ready for his night shift when a white Toyota Tazz without a registration number had abruptly stopped in front of him.
Hlathi said the trio, armed with a gun, got out of their car, dragged the officer out of his vehicle and shot him on his lower body before locking him in the boot of the car.
“The suspects drove with him and later stopped at Shatale Village where they dropped him off in the street. They drove away in his private car which was later found abandoned at Matsikitsane area in the bush.
“The officer managed to get help from people and is currently in hospital receiving medical treatment. No arrests have been made as yet.”
Meanwhile, alleged hijackers Jerry Sfiso Ubisi (31) and Fannie Sibande (37) were remanded in custody by the Carolina Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday for a similar incident.
The two were arrested on Tuesday July 27 after security personnel from Tracking Cyber Search and Metric Car Track companies apprehended them in partnership with members of the Carolina SAPS.
Reports indicate the two were among a group of three armed men who were allegedly involved in a car hijacking incident in Balfour where they attacked an off-duty police constable working in Standerton.
It is said the officer was driving in his private vehicle next to the R23 Road near the Balfour/Grootvlei intersection at low speed due to speed humps when three heavily armed men then appeared in front of his vehicle and pointed firearms at him.
“They then held him hostage and robbed him of his service firearm with ammunition as well as an undisclosed amount of cash, assaulted him and forced him to lie down on the back seat of his vehicle,” said Hlathi.
“They also took his bank cards, ID document and other belongings. The suspects are said to have then dropped him off next to the road near Vosloorus and drove away with the stolen items and his vehicle as well as his service firearm.”
He said the suspects reportedly removed the number plates from the hijacked car and replaced them with false ones.
Moments later, the vehicle was spotted being used by the suspects to tow a silver-grey Ford Fiesta sedan which seemed to have had a breakdown.
“Upon noticing the security forces, one suspect escaped while the two were cornered.”
The third suspect is still at large and sought by the police. The provincial commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lt Gen Semakaleng Manamela, has welcomed the arrests and also ordered for the arrest of the remaining suspects.
“The attack on any law enforcement official is an attack against the state and it will never be tolerated or go unpunished. We are adamant that the other suspects will be brought to book soon,” said Manamela.
The police urge anyone with information that may assist them in tracing the whereabouts of the suspects who hijacked the member in Bushbuckridge to contact Det Lt Col Albert Manzini on 082 469 1031, or call the Crime Stop number on 08600 10111, with information about any of the two hijacking incidents or other criminal activities.
Alternatively members of the public can send information via the My SAPS app. All received information will be treated as confidential and callers may opt to remain anonymous.
