A police sergeant is dead and a female constable has been hospitalised following a brutal attack at Majembeni Trust.

Members of the SAPS traced and arrested the 44-year-old suspect at his residence shortly after the incident.

“The report indicates that, after committing the crime, the suspect fled the scene but later returned once the crime scene had been cleared. The case docket is being handled by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) – Hawks, for further investigation,” said the Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Colonel Mavela Masondo.

Domestic dispute turns violent

Masondo said the incident occurred when a complainant went to the Bushbuckridge Point Police Station to report that his brother was troubling him.

A sergeant and a constable accompanied the complainant to Majembeni Trust where he stayed with the suspect.

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When officers arrived, the suspect initially co-operated with them, but went into the house and emerged with a sharp object.

“He used the sharp object to attack the officers and, in the process, pushed one of them into a hole.
The officers were rushed to a nearby hospital, where, unfortunately, the male police sergeant was certified dead on arrival, while the female police constable was admitted for further medical treatment,” said Masondo.

After the incident, the suspect fled the scene on foot.

A case of murder and attempted murder is under investigation, and the suspect is scheduled to appear in the Mapulaneng Magistrate’s Court tomorrow, Tuesday, July 21.

Provincial commissioner praises swift arrest

The acting provincial commissioner of SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi, lauded the officers for the swift arrest.

“The arrest of this suspect sends a clear message that attacks on our men and women in blue can never be tolerated. The team worked tirelessly and responded with urgency to ensure that the perpetrator was swiftly brought to justice. He must face the full might of the law for the alleged brutal killing of a dedicated officer,” said Mkhwanazi.

Police identified the deceased as Sergeant Kgotatso Alex Maile (41).