The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), has stated that during an operation in Randburg, north of South Africa‘s largest city, a Nigerian suspect believed to be involved in drug trafficking attacked one of its officers.
Upon receiving a lead on the Nigerian suspect on Sunday afternoon, JMPD officers arrived at the scene, where the suspect called for reinforcements, claiming he was being robbed.
The city police, in a statement, said, “This led to a violent attack on one of the officers.
During the ensuing events, two suspects were shot, one was critically injured and taken to Olivedale Hospital, and the other sustained a hand wound. He was treated at the scene by paramedics and subsequently arrested.
Backup was requested and officers from the JMPD, SAPS and Gauteng traffic police responded to the scene.A third suspect, who transported the critically injured suspect to the hospital, was identified by the officers and apprehended.
The officer’s firearm was recovered by Douglasdale SAPS. A police vehicle was damaged in the course of the incident.”
The spokesperson for the South African Policing Union (SAPU), Lesiba Thobakgale, condemned the attack. He stated that assaults on police officers are equivalent to attacks on the state itself.
Thobakgale advocated for treating such crimes as treason, stressing the government’s duty to safeguard its law enforcement officials.
Thobakgale said, “Police killings or attacks should be declared treason as it is a crime against the state and the state has a responsibility to protect police officers who are representing the state and not themselves.
This action will show that the government is taking such barbaric acts seriously.”
The JMPD mentioned that it has opened a case of attempted murder and public violence for further investigation.
