Ditebogo Junior Phalane murder suspects expected in court

The two suspects arrested for the alleged murder of 5-year-old Ditebogo Junior Phalane are expected to make their first appearance in court on Wednesday.

The duo are appearing in the Atteridgeville Magistrate’s Court on charges of possession of unlicensed firearms and possibly murder.

The Hawks’ Pretoria-based team together with Arcadia Crime Prevention unit and Tshwane District Crime Intelligence swooped in on two suspects, aged 29 and 30, in separate operations on Monday.

Four arrested

The arrest brings to four the number of suspects arrested in connection with Phalane’s murder.

Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Wendy Nkabi said one of the suspects is believed to have been out on bail on charges of hijacking and attempted murder.

“One of the firearms is believed to be the murder weapon used in the murder of Phalane but that will be confirmed once the firearms have been sent for testing.”

Phalane was fatally wounded when his father was hijacked outside their home in Soshanguve earlier this month.

The  funeral service for the five-year-old boy unfolded at Kopanong Hall in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria on Friday.

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JMPD officers wounded

Meanwhile, two Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officers have been hospitalised after a shoot-out with armed robbers in the Johannesburg CBD.

The shoot-out happened on Cornelius and Delvers streets, Marshalltown, on Tuesday evening.

JMPD spokesperson Superintendent Xolani Fihla said JMPD Region F1 Operations Unit officers were conducting static patrols when the shooting happened.

“The JMPD officers were approached by a member of the public who reported an ongoing armed robbery at a spaza shop on Cornelius and Delvers streets.

“In response to the report, the officers promptly arrived at the scene and were confronted by the suspects, who opened fire at them. The officers, who were also armed, returned fire, resulting in a shoot-out. Unfortunately, two officers were injured during the incident and have been taken to hospital for medical attention,” said Fihla.

ALSO READ: JMPD officers wounded after shootout with robbers in Joburg CBD