Flying Squad pounces on alleged cop killer suspects

TWO suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of a warrant officer in Mfuleni and the attempted murder of his colleague.

The 52-year-old warrant officer and his colleague, a 29-year-old constable based at Mfuleni police station, were on patrol at about 10pm on Sunday when shots were fired at them outside a tavern in Diepwater, Wesbank, Mfuleni.

The warrant officer was shot in the head and succumbed to his wounds in hospital shortly afterwards.

The constable, who was wounded in the neck, remains in a critical condition in hospital.

Members of the Flying Squad followed up information that the suspects were in the Delft area.

They arrested a 25-year-old man who was also sought in connection with a double murder allegedly perpetrated in the Mfuleni area recently.

He was accompanied by the other two suspects at the time of his arrest. His alleged accomplices initially managed to evade arrest.

In further pursuit of the suspects, members of the SAPS’s AntiGang Unit tracked them down and arrested them.

The suspects, aged 30 and 31, are expected to appear in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court today, together with the 25-year-old, who is also being detained for the unrelated double murder.

National Commissioner of Police General Khehla John Sitole applauded the members for their speedy response in tracing the suspects.

“The importance of the immediate mobilisation of our 72-hour activation plan cannot be overemphasised. Its effectiveness has once again been proved with the speedy arrest of the three suspects,” said Sitole.

This case has since been taken over by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (The Hawks).

Police have appealed to anyone with information on the crimes to call Crime Stop at 086 001 0111 or SMS Crime Line anonymously at 32211.