DELMAS – Four suspects appeared briefly at the local Magistrates Court on charges of attempted murder and unlawful possession of firearms.
The four suspects, Lucky Mhlongo (24), Christiano Shongo (35), Sam Ndlovu (28) and Sipho Sithole (27) were arrested after a swift action by police after their counterpart in Devon, Gauteng requested backup regarding suspects who had been involved in a business robbery and fled towards Delmas in a Nissan Sentra.
They then launched a lookout for the vehicle and spotted one fitting the description with four occupants, travelling at high speed and police then gave chase.
It’s reported that when the suspects noticed that they were being followed by police, three suspects, Shongo, Ndlovu and Sithole, jumped out of the vehicle and ran to nearby bushes at a farm and the driver continued driving alone.
Police then chased them on foot and in the process the suspects fired shots towards the police who retaliated. No one was injured. Police managed to corner all three suspects, seized a firearm and arrested them.
It later ermeged that the driver of the vehicle, Mhlongo, lost control and overturned. He was also arrested and another firearm was seized from him.
All the firearms will be sent for ballistic testing to determine whether they were used in other crimes.
They appear in court again next week Monday .
