EASTERN Cape police have released an identikit of one of the suspects alleged to have shot at the vehicle of provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Celiwe Binta in an attempted hijacking.
Binta and her team, driver Mpho Sidhavi and an unnamed female passenger, were driving towards Lingelitsha township near Berlin two weeks ago when five gunmen allegedly tried to hijack her BMW X3 at an intersection near the township.
Sidhavi is not a police officer as previously understood but an employee at the provincial police headquarters in Zwelitsha.
He was driving slowly to negotiate the gravel road they were travelling on when five men surrounded the car and pointed guns, including an R5 rifle, at the passengers.
The suspects forced him to stop and one then allegedly fired a round towards the commissioner’s vehicle.
The bullet penetrated the front driver’s window and exited through the front passenger’s window. It narrowly missed Sidhavi, who sustained facial cuts from the glass shrapnel.
He managed to maintain control of the vehicle and drove to the Berlin police station despite one of the tyres being damaged in the attack.
Provincial police spokeswoman Brigadier Marinda Mills yesterday said people should not apprehend the suspects and should instead call police to arrest them.
Mills said anyone with information could contact investigating officer detective Warrant-Officer Ntobeko Matana on 079-736-8276 or their nearest police station. They can also call the crime stop number on 08600-10111. —
Police seek Binta hijack suspect
Binta and her team, driver Mpho Sidhavi and an unnamed female passenger, were driving towards Lingelitsha township near Berlin two weeks ago when five gunmen allegedly tried to hijack her BMW X3 at an intersection near the township.
Sidhavi is not a police officer as previously understood but an employee at the provincial police headquarters in Zwelitsha.
He was driving slowly to negotiate the gravel road they were travelling on when five men surrounded the car and pointed guns, including an R5 rifle, at the passengers.
The suspects forced him to stop and one then allegedly fired a round towards the commissioner’s vehicle.
The bullet penetrated the front driver’s window and exited through the front passenger’s window. It narrowly missed Sidhavi, who sustained facial cuts from the glass shrapnel.
He managed to maintain control of the vehicle and drove to the Berlin police station despite one of the tyres being damaged in the attack.
Provincial police spokeswoman Brigadier Marinda Mills yesterday said people should not apprehend the suspects and should instead call police to arrest them.
Mills said anyone with information could contact investigating officer detective Warrant-Officer Ntobeko Matana on 079-736-8276 or their nearest police station. They can also call the crime stop number on 08600-10111. —
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