Hostage-taker 'had help'
Durban - Police on Wednesday arrested two police officers and a local community newspaper employee in connection with the hostage drama at Pinetown Police Station where one of the country's most wanted serial killer was killed by a police sniper.
After investigating for two weeks, it became clear to police that Casper Kruger had inside help when he took two police officers hostage.
According to information from a source known to the Witness, Kruger had obtained a firearm from the community newspaper employee. It is believed that he had smuggled it in with food that he had brought to Kruger, who was in custody for a hijacking two months ago.
However police have declined to reveal details fearing it might jeopardise their investigation.
Police spokesperson Superintendent Phindile Radebe on Wednesday confirmed that two police officers and a civilian were arrested in connection with the hostage drama. She said they will appear on Thursday at the Pinetown magistrate's court on charges of corruption and defeating the ends of justice.
The hostage drama began at 20:30 on April 9, when a police officer went to inspect the holding cells.
Kruger killed instantly
It was then that Kruger, who was in custody, produced a firearm and shot the officer in his wrist. He then shot another officer in his back and took a third hostage. Kruger then held the three officers, two of whom were bleeding in his cell.
Police managed to persuade him release one of the injured police officers however he thereafter became aggressive. The task team was called in and a police sniper fired one shot which instantly killed Kruger.
It is believed Kruger mislead police when he was arrested by giving his name as Jacques du Plessis, fearing that they might linked him to his history of prison escapes as well as previous crimes which include a triple murder in the early nineties.
He was convicted for the three murders which police believed he committed as a hate crime against homosexuals.
Shortly after his three death sentences were converted to a life imprisonment sentence, Kruger had smuggled a blade into his holding cells at Johannesburg magistrate's court and sawed his way out.
Kruger had also escaped from Pretoria Central as well as a clinic.
Police have not yet released a statement confirming that Kruger was indeed one of South Africa's most wanted serial killers.
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