Suspect arrested for murder and attempted murder of police officers

A suspect has been arrested in connection with an attack in which one policeman was killed on another wounded in Sunnyside‚ Pretoria‚ on Friday night.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters said that the Sunnyside Trio Task Team had followed up information and traced the 21-year-old suspect to a student residence in Sunnyside.

The suspect was arrested on Saturday afternoon‚ less than 24 hours after the incident‚ she said.

“The suspect has been charged with murder and attempted murder and will appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday.”

The two policemen were conducting stop-and-search duties in Sunnyside when they were shot.

One of the policemen‚ who was 34 years old‚ succumbed to his injuries in hospital‚ while his 41-year-old colleague is still recovering from his wounds in hospital.

Gauteng provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Deliwe de Lange thanked everyone‚ especially witnesses‚ who played a crucial role in ensuring the swift arrest.

“We hope that this will assist the family towards reconciling with the loss of their loved one‚ while we allow the law to take its course‚” De Lange said.