SABC intruder appeared in Bloem court

BLOEMFONTEIN, SOUTH AFRICA – MAY 23: A general view of the South African Broadcast Cooperation (SABC) Reginal office in Bloemfontein on May 23, 2019 (Photo by Gallo Images/ Fani Mahuntsi)

‘Next time it will be a boom!!’: Suspect shot after breaking into SABC offices

A suspect was wounded by security guards after being caught in the SABC’s Bloemfontein offices. He wrote threatening messages on the walls.

SABC intruder appeared in Bloem court

BLOEMFONTEIN, SOUTH AFRICA – MAY 23: A general view of the South African Broadcast Cooperation (SABC) Reginal office in Bloemfontein on May 23, 2019 (Photo by Gallo Images/ Fani Mahuntsi)

A suspect was shot and wounded by security guards after breaking into the South African Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC) Bloemfontein offices in the early hours of Sunday morning, 16 January.

INTRUDER SHOT AT SABC OFFICES

The Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation team in Bloemfontein is investigating a case of business burglary, trespassing, malicious damage to property and intimidation after a 27-year-old man was arrested in the SABC building on Sunday.

Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo said a security guard noticed an intruder inside the building at approximately 4:30.

“It is further alleged that the suspect attacked the security officials and one official managed to pull out his official firearm and shot the suspect,” said Mbambo.

Members of the Parkweg police station and EMS rushed to the scene and the wounded suspect was taken to hospital for medical treatment. He is currently under police guard and is expected to appear in court imminently.

“A separate case of attempted murder will be investigated by Parkweg detectives,” said Mbambo.

THREATENING MESSAGES LEFT BEHIND

According to SABC News, several suspicious packages were seized from the suspect upon his arrest, which involved the police’s bomb squad.

Free State Hawks spokesperson Christopher Singo told the broadcaster that nothing had been stolen from the SABC offices.  However, according to the SABC, the suspect had allegedly interfered with the broadcast satellites.

The suspect also left several threatening messages on the building’s walls, written with what appears to be a black permanent marker.

The messages read as follows, according to photographs taken by a SABC journalist:

“Next time it will be a boom!!”

“Sakina always love you. We belong together.”

“Blaze to ching ching. ANBC $?”

The investigations into the matter are ongoing.

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