Police have arrested a third suspect after a Free State police officer was murdered near Bloemfontein on December 30.
Inspector Harry Nagel said the third suspect was arrested on Thursday morning near Hoëveld in the Bloemspruit area outside Bloemfontein. ”Members of Bloemfontein crime intelligence and the Bloemspruit detective unit arrested the 26-year-old suspect.”
Nagel said the man is expected to appear in court soon.
According to police the man has also been linked to three other cases of robbery, six of housebreaking and theft, three of assault and two current investigations of rape.
Two other suspects, aged 23, were arrested within 24 hours of the incident and have appeared in court. Their next court appearance will be on January 23 for bail applications.
Nagel said the police officer, known only as Constable Kgolokoane, was stopped by a man in a township known as Phase 4 near Bloemfontein. ”When he stopped two suspects came out of the veld and attacked him.”
The constable sustained three bullet wounds during the incident and was left at the roadside while the suspects took off with his service pistol and his private vehicle.
Nagel said a passer-by saw the injured man and called an ambulance. Kgolokoane was taken to the Pelonomi Regional Hospital in Bloemfontein but died a few hours later.
Police have recovered his service pistol as well as another revolver. — Sapa