Agreement Mkhari 
Two notorious criminals, including a fugitive who escaped from Lebowakgomo Magistrate’s Court in March 2023, were shot dead during a police operation at Ga-Mampuru in Burgersfort on Tuesday, 25 February 2025.
The duo, considered among the province’s most wanted and dangerous criminals, had been terrorizing communities across multiple areas. When confronted by police, they opened fire, leading to a deadly shootout.
A specialised team comprising members of the Provincial Tracking Team, Provincial Investigations Unit, Polokwane TRT, Masemola K9, Polokwane Air-Wing, Lebowakgomo Detectives, and the Lebowakgomo Task Team acted on intelligence that the suspects were hiding in the bushes near the R555 road in Ga-Mampuru.
Upon being cornered, the suspects fired at police officers, prompting a retaliatory response. One of the suspects, believed to be between 30 and 35 years old, was fatally shot and found in possession of a pistol with six rounds of ammunition.
His accomplice, who initially managed to flee with a rifle, continued to engage the police. After another exchange of gunfire, he was also shot dead. He was found in possession of an R5 rifle with three live rounds, a 9mm pistol with three live rounds, and 12 cell phones suspected to be stolen.
The second suspect was identified as the fugitive who escaped from Lebowakgomo Magistrate’s Court on 17 March 2023. He had been arrested on multiple charges, including rape, housebreaking, and house robbery. His estimated age was between 30 and 40.
The duo was linked to several serious crimes, including the murder of a Limpopo Highway Patrol sergeant, during which three rifles were stolen. They were also implicated in more than ten other violent crimes, such as murder, rape, house robbery, and kidnapping, across Lebowakgomo, Magatle, Sekhukhune, and Mankweng policing areas.
Following the shootout, paramedics were called to the scene, where both suspects were declared dead. The police investigation is ongoing.
