Five Suspects Scheduled to Appear in Court for the Tragic Shooting Death of Lieutenant Colonel Piet Pretorius

Ermelo – Five individuals, including a former police officer, have been apprehended in connection with the deadly shooting of a senior police officer. They are set to appear in the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga on Monday, 20 January 2025.

Lieutenant Colonel Piet Pretorius, aged fifty-nine and commander of the Vehicle Identification Unit in Ermelo, was targeted by assailants while driving on Thursday afternoon, 16 January 2025.

Sadly, Lieutenant Colonel Pretorius, who sustained injuries during the assault, later succumbed to them in the hospital. A police manhunt resulted in the quick capture of five suspects in Mbombela (Nelspruit).

Addressing the arrests, Mpumalanga Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi confirmed that one of the suspects is a former police officer.

“Five suspects, consisting of four males, including an ex-police official, and one female, are anticipated to make their initial court appearance in Ermelo on Monday,” stated Lieutenant Colonel Nkosi.

“The suspects were apprehended in Nelspruit following the fatal shooting of Lieutenant Colonel Piet Pretorius, who was associated with the Ermelo Vehicle Investigation Unit.”

Lieutenant Colonel Nkosi further mentioned: “Details surrounding this incident are still unclear at this point, and more information will be provided later. However, it has been reported that Lieutenant Colonel Pretorius was driving an official vehicle at the time of the shooting.

“The vehicle was extensively damaged with bullet holes. 

“After the incident, the assailants reportedly entered a white sedan and fled the scene.”

Mpumalanga MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Jackie Macie, praised the swift action taken by law enforcement, which led to the suspects’ arrest just a day after the crime.

“We are pleased with the progress that has been made in apprehending the five suspects,” remarked MEC Macie.

“We commend the men and women in blue for their diligence in this and numerous other cases.

“As a law enforcement officer, one inevitably becomes a target for criminals.

“Thus, we urge our police to look out for one another and maintain vigilance at all times. They should not feel intimidated by criminal activity.”