A 27-year-old Zimbabwean national made a brief appearance at the Pretoria North Magistrate's Court on Monday where he is facing a host of serious charges that stem from a violent attack which claimed the lives of six patrollers in Soshanguve.
The accused, whose identity has not been disclosed, stands charged with six counts of murder, five counts of attempted murder, and two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The horrific incident that unfolded in the early hours of March 22, 2025.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the incident occurred at around 3am in the Marry Me informal settlement, when a group of 12 patrollers were seated on the roadside.
They were allegedly ambushed by five unknown men, one of whom was armed.
“The men allegedly opened fire, shooting one patroller and assaulting others with rocks and wooden poles before setting them on fire,” Mahanjana said.
The deadly attack left four victims dead on the scene, and two more succumbed to their injuries in hospital, bringing the death toll to six.
The victims included five males and one female, while five others were left injured, among them four men and one woman.
The suspect was arrested two days later on March 24, in an unrelated matter involving the possession of unlicensed firearms, ammunition, and being in the country illegally.
While in custody, he was identified by witnesses during an ID parade and linked to the Soshanguve attack.
“The case has been postponed to April 1 to be joined with the existing matter,” said Mahanjana.
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