Cape Town - Four suspects have been arrested for allegedly stabbing and killing a 33-year-old police officer in Lwandle.
The police officer was killed after reporting off duty at the Lingelethu West police station on Christmas Day.
Western Cape police spokesperson Zinzi Hani said the stabbing took place at the Asanda Village at about 6.30pm.
“After preliminary investigation, it was established that the member was robbed of his service pistol and a cellphone.”
“The information showed that before being robbed, he fired several shots towards his attackers and injured one in the process, the injured person was then taken to Hottentots hospital and later transferred to Tygerberg hospital for further medical examination,” said Hani.
A multi-disciplinary team was put together to trace the outstanding suspects and the police officer’s firearm.
The suspects were apprehended the same day and the constables’ firearm was also recovered. The four suspects are due in the Strand Magistrate’s Court today.
Meanwhile, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) is investigating the death of a teenager who was chased by police, allegedly because he was wanted for house robbery and motor vehicle theft.
The teen allegedly committed the crime in Claremont and the vehicle was stolen in Hanover Park.
Ipid spokesperson Lizzy Suping said the man, who was a passenger, pointed a gun at a Flying Squad officer who, along with other police officers, approached the car.
Suping said the Flying Squad officer responded with a single shot from his service pistol after the teen had pointed a gun at him. The teen was hit in the chest and later died in hospital.
Another suspect, the driver of the vehicle, was arrested and charged with robbery and vehicle theft and is expected to appear in Wynberg Magistrate’s Court today.
However, a family friend of the driver, who asked not to be named, said a kidnapping case was opened by the family after the now-dead suspect allegedly kidnapped him at gunpoint, forcing him to drive the vehicle.
“I witnessed the incident and within minutes, the police were upon them as they were already chasing him.
“The boy was on his way from his grandmother’s house when the man pulled up and pointed a gun at him, forcing him to drive the car. He is now in custody and we are trying everything we can to prove that he was taken at gunpoint.
“The family are upset that he is now in custody, even though he is a victim. He is currently in Grade 12 and a good boy; what happened to him is terrible,” she said.
The family friend said Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Reagen Allen was aware of the matter.