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One court shooter killed, another arrested

Johannesburg - Of the two men who allegedly opened fire in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court last month, wounding two people, one has been killed and the other arrested, Gauteng police said on Sunday.

The one man, 28, was shot dead and the other man, 26, was shot and injured during a shoot-out with police at the men's hideout on Dunber Street in Yeoville on Saturday night, said Lieutenant Colonel Khensani Magoai.

"When the police arrived at the house, the suspects pointed at them with a firearm and one suspect was shot and killed," said Magoai.

"The injured suspect was taken to hospital where he is under police guard."

A firearm was also confiscated at the house.

On 19 August, a court orderly sustained a slight wound, and a police officer was seriously wounded in the head when the two awaiting-trial prisoners opened fire in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court.

On 20 August, The Times named them as Constable Eddie Ngobeni and Sergeant Theopilus Mogafe, the court orderly. Ngobeni was apparently trying to save Mogafe when he was shot.

The two prisoners, robbery accused Lucky Segwape, 28, and Nthabeleng Matlatfi, 26, were due to appear in court on charges of house robbery and possession of unlicensed firearms, The Times reported.

They emerged from the holding cells and opened fire in the courtroom.

Ngobeni was due to testify in their case. It was unclear how they got the weapon.

The two fled the court and hijacked a car outside. The vehicle was abandoned in Atteridgeville, where they hijacked another car, a red VW Polo.

Police were also searching for a third person who had escaped from custody when the two men opened fire in court.

He had appeared in court on the day of the shooting on a charge of armed robbery, had been ordered to stay in custody until his next appearance on 8 September.

On 20 August, Magoai said: "It was discovered that he [the third man] was not on the list of the awaiting-trial prisoners that were taken to correctional services.

"It is unknown how he escaped and an investigation is being conducted."

The 26-year old faces charges of attempted murder, hijacking, escaping from lawful custody, the illegal possession of firearm and ammunition and pointing of firearm.

He would appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court soon.

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