Hunted SANDF
soldier hands himself in
3
February 2017, 06:21am
Mercury
Reporter
SANDF soldier Thembinkosi Ngcobo has
surrendered to police. Picture: Supplied
Durban - A South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldier
who disappeared in the wake of a fatal shooting spree has handed himself over
to police.
Thembinkosi American Ngcobo reported to the Inanda police
station, north of Durban, on Thursday night.
SANDF spokesperson Brigadier-General Mafi Mgobozi was at the
police station with an SANDF contingent on Thursday night and confirmed the
suspect had handed himself in.
Mgobozi said he contacted military police on Thursday to arrange
the handover. He could not say where the suspect had been these past two days.
Ngcobo’s lawyer, Sizwe Cele, and his brother accompanied him to
the police station.
It is understood that the military presence was at the request
of Ngcobo’s lawyer, due to fears about his safety.
He is expected to appear in court on Friday or on Monday, to
face charges of murder and attempted murder.
Ngcobo had been on the run since Tuesday, when he allegedly shot
dead a woman and wounded three other people while in an enraged hunt for his
girlfriend.
Police said at the time that the 26-year-old had gone looking
for his girlfriend in Ebuhleni in Inanda, and when he did not find her, he
allegedly opened fire on her sisters.
One of the sisters died at the scene and the other was wounded
and taken to hospital.
He then went to a home in Ntuzuma where he found his
girlfriend’s mother and her brothers.
He allegedly kidnapped one of her brothers to assist in
searching for her.
According to a statement issued by the SANDF, Ngcobo - a member
of the 8 South African Infantry Battalion based in Upington, Northern Cape -
was armed with an R4 assault rifle.
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