Four men were arrested on Tuesday for a planned farm attack in Shaw Park near Port Alfred.
Four men were arrested on Tuesday for a planned farm attack in Shaw Park near Port Alfred.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Luvuyo Mjekula said the Port Alfred Crime Intelligence team received information that there was a planned farm attack and a sting operation was immediately set in motion.
He said team work between the Port Alfred Cluster, Motherwell Crime Intelligence police and a local farm security head resulted in the arrest of the four men aged between 25 and 35 years old in the morning.
Mjekula said the police team got together at 4pm and local farm security leader Dudley Waters joined the operation.
He said at about 10pm, while police were conducting waylay duties near the farm, they spotted a Toyota Corolla which they stopped and searched. In the car there was a man and a three-year-old child.
"On questioning the driver, police discovered that he had dropped off three men at the farm. He informed police he did not know why they had gone to the farm.
"Police arranged for the child to be removed from the vehicle and be handed over to his mother.
"After questioning the man and visiting the farm, police released him as they could not link him to a crime at the time.
" In the early hours of this morning, after police received more information about the farm attack, they set up a roadblock on the corner of Bathurst and Standerwick Streets," said Mjekula.
He said at about 5am the same vehicle they had stopped earlier approached and as the members shouted and flagged down the driver to stop, gun shots were fired from the vehicle.
According to Mjekula, police had no other option but to return fire, after which the vehicle stopped. Three men allegedly emerged unharmed while a fourth one sustained a bullet wound in the shoulder.
Police noticed that the injured man was the same driver they had earlier questioned and released.
"He was rushed to the local hospital for treatment and is under police guard. A 9mm Norinco gun and live rounds of ammunition were found in the vehicle.
"All four suspects face charges of attempted murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition," said Mjekula.
They are due to appear in the Port Alfred Magistrate’s Court soon.
He said according to Major Melumzi Mkhathali the men are suspected of being involved in a hijacking and murder incident that occurred on Saturday in Peddie.
Mjekula said acting Port Alfred Cluster Commander, Colonel Lizette Zeelie, congratulated all the role players for their dedication and commitment to working together in fighting crime.
