KOMATIPOORT – A senior police officer was robbed while on duty on Wednesday.
Col Michael Mhlanga (50) is a commander of Lebombo Port of Entry. According to provincial police spokesman Col Leonard Hlathi, Mhlanga was at a stop sign at about 20:30 when he heard someone knocking on the window of his vehicle.
“A suspect suddenly jumped inside and held him at gunpoint, demanding his firearm. After the ordeal, the suspect instructed him to drive while keeping contact with unknown people via a cellphone.
“Their trip ended up when they came across a white Volkswagen Polo with an unknown number of occupants. The suspect had a talk with the Polo’s occupants after which two shots were fired in Mhlanga’s direction,” Hlathi said.
Mhlanga wasn’t injured, but the window of his vehicle was shattered. “The suspect and occupants of the Polo fled the scene with his firearm,” Hlathi added.
A case of attempted murder is being investigated. Anyone with information is urged to contact Captain Louis Stander on 082-449-0242.
In another incident on Monday at 21:00, a constable was wounded when police responded to a cash-in-transit heist in eMalahleni.
“It was reported that the employees of G4S were on their way to their depot with an armoured vehicle to hand over money which was collected throughout the day. About 100 metres to the depot, a silver Mercedes Benz emerged from nowhere and bumped at their vehicle.
“In the process, a group of about 10 men started shooting at the employees and forced them out of the vehicle to the ground. The men then used explosives to open the back of the vehicle and took undisclosed amount of cash, then fled the scene.
“A lookout for the getaway vehicle of the suspects was conveyed to the members on patrol. One of the police vans spotted the suspects’ vehicle on the Ogies Road and gave chase. When the suspects saw the police, they fired shots at them using high calibre weapons and as a result, Const Mike Khoza (26) was injured in his leg. He was taken to hospital for medical treatment.”
Anyone with information on this incident is urged to contact Col Faan Steenkamp on 082-565-7656.
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