A man (28), who was denied bail by the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court, awaits trial for a range of crimes including the alleged attempted murder of police officers.
His other charges are possession and use of a restricted firearm and ammunition, possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, motor vehicle theft, fleeing from arrest and destruction of property. He will reappear in court after further investigations are concluded.
He was arrested on 23 September last year after a shootout with police officers using an R5 rifle as he fled from a Blue Hills, Midrand housing complex.
Police, who had been tipped off about the accused being armed and driving around in a suspected stolen sports car, spotted the vehicle but it sped away. It was then traced to his girlfriend’s home in the complex. Later, as the accused was leaving his girlfriend’s house in the vehicle, police officers again tried to stop him but he allegedly sped off knocking over the complex’s security gate.
The vehicle came to a stop after officers shot and deflated its tyres and a shootout ensued. The police overpowered him after the accused’s R5 rifle either jammed or ran out of ammunition. The vehicle was searched and an unlicensed pistol with rounds of ammunition was found. The vehicle was also found to have been stolen.
