French fugitive couple shot dead in southwest South Africa

[News_Editor]

French fugitive couple shot dead in southwest South Africa

2011-01-21 02:16:34 GMT+7 (ICT)

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (BNO NEWS) -- A French couple on Thursday were shot dead at a farm in southwest South Africa, the couple were fugitives wanted for killing a police officer.

According to the Guardian and Mail newspaper, the couple has yet to be identified but police strongly believes that the man and woman killed were the fugitive French nationals.

"They were shot in a house on the farm, and certified dead. Several firearms and numerous amounts of ammunition were also found," said Lieutenant Colonel Hendrik Swart.

The couple was at a house in Sutherland town, in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. After police forces arrived to the property, the suspects barricaded themselves inside the house.

Philippe Meniére, 60, and Agnes Jardel, 55, went missing on Friday after fatally shooting a police recruit and wounding an officer. Constable Jacob Boleme, 27, was shot dead at point blank range by Meniére.

Warrant Officer Glenwall du Toit, 42, was shot in the back by Jardel but survived. The attack took place as Du Toit, Boleme and two law enforcement agents attempted to execute a search warrant at the French nationals' farm.

The warrant was issued after farm owner Gerhardus du Plessis tired to evict them from his property when he found a number of unlicensed firearms in their possession. The police officers intended to search for the weapons when they were attacked by the couple.

Thursday's operation stemmed after a police helicopter spotted the couple in a house on the farm, about 1 kilometer away from their previous dwelling where the officers were shot.

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