SOUTH AFRICA – Three teens who allegedly shot a 10-year-old girl while robbing her of a cellphone will face attempted murder and robbery charges on Monday.

The trio, aged between 17 and 19, were arrested within hours of the robbery at Wembezi in KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday evening.

“It is alleged that the victim was returning home from a shop when she was attacked by the suspects,” said spokesperson Capt Nqobile Gwala. “The victim was wounded on her right arm. She was robbed of her cellphone and the suspects fled the scene.

“The injured victim was taken to a local health care facility and a case of attempted murder and robbery was opened at the Wembezi police station.”

Police officers were mobilised to search for the suspects and arrested them within hours. The cellphone was recovered.

They will appear in the Estcourt magistrate’s court on Monday.

It was the second serious criminal incident featuring armed teenagers within the space of a few days.

Four teens who allegedly hijacked a car from a motorist at knife point at Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape were arrested after trying to speed away from the flying squad last weekend. The suspects were between 16 and 19 years old.