Highly wanted suspect commits suicide

A highly wanted suspect committed suicide when the police arrived at his hideout in Evaton, Sebokeng, during the early hours of Monday, Vaal Rand police said on Tuesday.

Police Captain Nthabiseng Mazibuko said police heard gunshots after they identified themselves at the door of the house on their arrival at 3.30am.

The man was found lying on the floor with a bullet wound to the head. He was wanted for killing two police officers at Reitz in the Free State early this month, Mazibuko said.

She said the police officers were shot dead by the man when he escaped from police cells, where he was detained on suspicion of attacking a farmer.

Mazibuko said four people, including a girlfriend of the dead man, were arrested when police confiscated two 9mm pistols at the house where the man killed himself.

Police searched another house in the same vicinity and seized a third firearm.

All three recovered firearms are suspected to belong to the two police officers, but that "cannot be verified now", she said.

The four people are expected to appear in the Sebokeng Magistrates Court on Wednesday to face charges of illegal possession of firearms.