A suspect and police officer were arrested for a shooting they were involved in when a man was shot in his foot.
The incident occurred on Sunday, June 19 at approximately 19:00 when Mr Leonard Maphanga was driving his silver Corolla towards Klarinet to visit his brother.
“I was in the car with two of my friends and then we decided to stop next to the tuck shop to buy chips and other stuff before we headed off,” said Maphanga.
While his friends were inside the shop, Maphanga was on the phone when he heard a voice.
A man and two other women were standing next to him at the time.
“I recall the man shouting, ‘Is it him?’ ‘Is it him?’, then all of a sudden he grabbed me and started pushing me around,” continued Maphanga.
Maphanga alleges that the tall woman handed over her firearm and said; ‘shoot him.’
That is when he started running away and the shots were fired.
Maphanga was shot in the left foot, once he fell down, the suspect started kicking him.
He was lying on the ground in extreme pain as he waited for the police to arrive on scene.
Maphanga was taken to Witbank Provincial Hospital for treatment.
“I don’t know the man or the two women that were there. I am not even sure why they shot me,” said Maphanga.
The Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC) visited the scene and one live round was found and a cartridge. The firearm belongs to a police officer.
On Tuesday, June 21 the suspect that fired the shot and the police officer from Witbank Police Station were arrested. Charges of attempted murder are being investigated.
“I need to return back to work otherwise I don’t get paid, so my boss said as soon as I can get up he will give me light duties to do, just so that I can get paid,” said Maphanga.
“The arrest of the suspects has been done and the police are busy investigating the case,” said Captain Eddie Hall, spokesperson from Witbank Police Station.
