Shortly after two separate incidents, a robbery and an attempted murder, Ladysmith police had the suspects behind bars.
On Saturday just after midday, a man stopped his vehicle to have a bite to eat in Alexander Road. While seated in the car, he was suddenly accosted by three suspects armed with knives. The suspects attempted to wrestle the man’s firearm from his holster, but he resisted.
In the struggle, the firearm went off and struck one of the suspects in the face. The robbers then fled empty-handed.
The complainant made his way to the police station and shortly afterwards, officers attached to the Ladysmith Community Service Centre and Ladysmith Detective Service Centre traced the injured suspect to a local hospital. The man was arrested and is currently under police guard in hospital. The complainant’s firearm was seized as evidence.
Police then made their way to a house in Thembalihle, Steadville, where they arrested the other two suspects, aged 19 and 20. During the arrests, police seized two cell-phones suspected to have been stolen and traced a firearm that the three had stolen in another robbery days earlier. The firearm had been sold to a local shop owner, who was also arrested.
The stolen firearm was recovered along with seven live rounds of ammunition, as well as two knives suspected to have been used during the crime.
The three suspects will be charged with attempted robbery, robbery and possession of suspected stolen property. The shopkeeper faces charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
The suspects are set to appear in the Ladysmith Magistrate’s Court today or tomorrow (Monday or Tuesday).
Then, on Saturday at about 2pm, police were alerted to a shooting at the taxi rank in Lyell Street. It is alleged that two taxi drivers were having an argument when one of them pulled out a firearm and shot at the other. The bullet missed the driver, ricocheted off the taxi and struck two bystanders, one in the shoulder and another in the leg. The taxi driver, aged 30, was arrested and his licensed 9mm firearm was seized as evidence.
The two injured bystanders were rushed to hospital.
The suspect faces three counts of attempted murder and is set to appear in the Ladysmith Magistrate’s Court today (Monday).
“This is an exemplary piece of work which marks our members’ dedication. The swift response of Ladysmith police in arresting the suspect and the recovery of the firearms is commended,” said the provincial commissioner of KwaZulu-Natal, Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni.
