BREAKING NEWS: Hit and run driver in court
A 22 year old man, Akani Brendon Mgimeti, appeared in the Tzaneen Magistrates Court on Tuesday afternoon after a local traffic officer was killed in a tragic hit and run accident on the outskirts of Tzaneen over the weekend.
Mgimeti left the scene of the accident and drove to the local SAPS station to hand himself over immediately after the accident.
On Tuesday, he was remanded in custody with no bail until Friday for a formal bail application.
According to a police statement, the charge was changed from that of culpable homicide to murder due to the extreme serious circumstances on this matter and the additional charges such as reckless and\or negligent driving and failing to stop after an accident were also added.
This Traffic Officer was knocked to death by a speeding car while performing a point duty on Sunday at about 15:30 along R36 road (Tzaneen-Lydenburg road) just outside Tzaneen town near Macdonald market.
The deceased is identified as Butana Hector Mlondobozi from Ritavi outside Tzaneen of the Limpopo Province.
Police investigations are still continuing. A source, who chose to remain anonymous, told the Herald that the motorist is well known to police and other law enforcement officers and that they had tried to stop him earlier in the day (Sunday) for speeding and skipping stop streets in town.
“This type of behaviour by motorists is totally condemned because Law enforcement officers are always working tirelessly along the roads to ensure road safety and they cannot be killed like this.
We are going to leave no stone unturned on this matter and Police investigations are still continuing,” Lieutenant Colonel Ngoepe told the Herald.
GTM media representative, Neville Ndlala told the Herald that the officer’s next of kin have been notified and that the mayor will visit the bereaved family soon to offer her condolences.
People with information on this accident can contact Lieutenant Colonel Ngoepe at Ngoepe by 082 414 2088.
