JOHANNESBURG, Sept 27 (Reuters) – South African police have
arrested three suspects for the murder of former world
heavyweight boxing champion Cornelius “Corrie” Sanders, who died
on Sunday after being shot by armed robbers who burst into his
nephew’s 21st birthday party.
The suspects – all Zimbabwean citizens – are due to appear
before magistrates in Brits, 80 km (50 miles) northwest of
Johannesburg, on Monday on charges of murder and armed robbery.
“The police confiscated a cellular phone, vehicle key, purse
and cash that were allegedly robbed during the robbery and
belong to the victims,” police said in a statement.
Sanders, 46, was shot in the arm and the stomach when
robbers raided a restaurant near Brits, in North West Province,
where he and other family members were attending the party.
He was rushed to hospital but died from his wounds in the
early hours of Sunday.
Sanders, nicknamed “The Sniper” because of his fierce
left-hand punch, won the World Boxing Organization heavyweight
title in 2003 with a surprise knockout of Ukraine’s Wladimir
Klitschko. He lost only four of his 46 professional
fights.
(Reporting by Tshepo Tshabalala; Editing by Ed Cropley and
Pravin Char)
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