Johannesburg | Thursday
A PRISONER was killed and a man linked to an Israeli mafia organisation in South Africa was wounded when a gunman attacked a police van taking them to court on Wednesday, a police representative said.
Senior Superintendent Chris Wilken said Lior Saadt and four other awaiting trial prisoners were travelling to the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court when a gunman on the back of a motorcycle shot at them with a sub-machinegun.
“The driver stopped at a traffic light, and a man on the back of a motorcycle fired at least 18 rounds at the van,” Wilken said.
One prisoner, whose name was not given, died, another was wounded in the upper torso.
Wilken said Saadt was wounded in the buttocks and two other prisoners sustained minor injuries.
Wilken said the motive for the shooting was unknown as all five prisoners were facing charges involving serious crime, including murder and armed robbery.
Saadt, 30, is facing a charge of murdering Johannesburg diamond dealer Shai Avissar more than a year ago and an unrelated fraud charge involving five million rand (more than $600_000).
He was arrested at a South Africa-Mozambique border post on April 8.
Saadt, an Israeli who also has South African citizenship, has lived permanently in the country since 1993, police said.
Policewoman Amanda Roestoff said at the time of Saadt’s arrest that police were investigating his involvement into “mafia” related crimes, but did not give further details.
Wilken said Saadt would be appearing in the Johannesburg Magistrates court today and he would be guarded by the new Serious Violent Crime Unit, which has replaced the Murder and Robber Unit. – AFP, Matthew Burbidge
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