THEY WERE WANTED for the case of kidnapping a woman from Sundumbili, Mandeni, who had recently received compensation money from the Road Accident Fund (RAF), three suspects were arrested by the police in Mariannhill, Pinetown, yesterday.
This was revealed by a Solezwe source who asked not to be identified, after the KwaZulu-Natal police issued a statement that the suspects had defeated the war they claimed to be trying.
The source said that the suspects who were shot were collaborating with three others who were arrested by the Durban police, after they were found with the abducted woman.
“Unknown suspects traveling in two cars kidnapped a family of eight, including this woman, on May 15 this year at their home in Mandeni. The seven family members of the suspects abandoned them in Kwa Dabeka, and then the woman continued to take her,” said the source.
He said that the accused woman continued to walk with her, and on the way they took R30 000 from her. He said that the police were following the trail and eventually succeeded in catching one of the two cars that the accused used to commit the kidnapping.
“Three suspects were arrested, while the other three managed to escape and the victim was found unharmed,” said the source.
The source said that the three suspects who were shot by the police, were the ones who fled when their colleagues were arrested a few days ago.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, said the suspects were shot dead yesterday during a shootout between them and the police.
He said no police officer was injured in the incident which he said happened in the early hours of yesterday on Milky Way road in Mariannhill.
He said that the police have gathered clues about the suspects who were wanted for kidnapping, fraud and possession of illegal firearms opened at the Greenword Park police station.
“The police saw the suspects driving a car on this road, and tried to stop them. The suspects ignored the police order and went too far. They continued to chase them in the car and that’s when they started shooting at the police,” said Netshiunda.
He said the police also returned fire, and the suspect’s car overturned and hit a tree.
“Three suspects died during this shootout, and a policeman was injured. Two guns and a lot of ammunition were found,” said Netshiunda.
The police have recently issued a warning that people who have received compensation from the RAF should learn to keep their mouths shut, because being a scumbag is a drain on them.