A trio charged with attempted car hijacking and attempted murder appeared in the Leandra Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Ridge Times reports the three were arrested after a suspected hijacker was shot and killed during an attempted hijacking at the entrance to Leandra on Friday morning.

According to Mpumalanga police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo, the 37-year-old driver of a Ford Ranger was heading to Leandra on the R29 from Kinross when a Mercedes-Benz SUV approached with flashing lights and hazards, trying to stop him.

Stop leads to confrontation

The motorist drove on to a spot he deemed safer, about 2km from Leandra, and pulled off the road.

The driver of the Mercedes approached the motorist from the driver’s side, while two others, both with firearms, climbed into the passenger and rear seats respectively.

“The complainant allegedly shot at the hijackers, who then fled on foot into the nearby bushes. They returned fired as they were running to the bushes,” said Masondo in a statement to the media.

Suspect found dead, 3 arrested

When police traced the culprits’ steps, they found the body of a man who was confirmed to be one of the suspects.

“The continued search and investigation led the police to Leandra’s residential area where three other suspects, aged 36, 40 and 50, were found and arrested.”

The trio’s case was postponed to next Friday while investigations are underway to establish whether they are linked to other crimes, including car hijacking.

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