The security officer who shot and killed Sibusiso Amos of Vosloorus in March last year was found guilty of murder on June 17 in the Gauteng High Court, in Johannesburg.
Siphiwe Ndlovu was found guilty of murder, three counts of attempted murder and unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition.
On the day of the incident, Amos was inside his yard when EMPD officers were enforcing level five lockdown regulations.
An argument broke out between him and EMPD officers chasing patrons from a nearby tavern.
According to National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane, Ndlovu told the court he saw a scuffle inside the yard between Amos and EMPD officers.
Using an EMPD officer’s shotgun, Ndlovu shot Amos at close range with live ammunition, while Amos was behind a locked burglar gate.
Ndlovu told the court he picked up the gun after an officer had fallen down following an attack from members of the community, and he approached and fired shots towards Amos to scare him off in order to stop the scuffle.
Three children that were in the house were also wounded during the shooting.
“The state advocate, Rolene Barnard, argued that Ndlovu was a former police officer, knowledgeable about gun handling and precautionary measures to take when using guns. She asked the court to consider that Amos was shot at the sanctity of his own home, unarmed and without any provocation. The court rejected Ndlovu’s evidence as highly improbable and accepted the evidence by State witnesses,” said Mjonondwane.
Judge Mudau remarked that evidence by State witnesses was more reliable.
The case was postponed to June 29 for arguments in mitigation and aggravation of sentence.
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