Waterkloof Airbase officials in custody
Two Waterkloof Airbase employees are expected to reappear in court after they were arrested for attempted robbery and impersonating a police officer.
Two South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Waterkloof Airbase officials are expected to reappear in court next week after they were arrested for impersonating a police officer and attempted robbery, police said.
According to police spokesperson Lieutenant General Solomon Makgale, the suspects, aged 39 and 41, appeared briefly in court on Wednesday, but the matter was postponed.
“On Monday, two police members were patrolling in Woodmead, Johannesburg, and they spotted a black BMW with blue lights. The suspects in the BMW had blocked a private car when the police members on patrol approached them,” Makgale explained.
The suspects had initially identified themselves as police officers, but upon questioning by the police members, the suspects realised the police were suspicious and one of them pulled a firearm from the car. “He tried to shoot the police but the alert police member quickly drew his own firearm and fired a shot at the suspect who was hit in the leg,” said Makgale.
The two suspects were immediately arrested and police confiscated South African Police Service and metro police reflective jackets, blue lights and a firearm with ten rounds of ammunition. “The firearm, a 9mm pistol, was positively linked to an incident of theft in Akasia, Pretoria. We also recovered two SANDF Waterkloof Airbase appointment certificates and five cell phones,” Makgale said.
The suspects are facing charges of attempted robbery, impersonating a police officer, pointing of a firearm, possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. “Their case has been postponed to next week as one of the suspects was still in hospital during the initial court appearance,” said Makgale.
