WHITE RIVER – While a split of xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals has been going on in the country, a police officer and a taxi driver are in hot water after allegedly assaulting a 41-year-old local man to death after accusing him of stealing the officer’s money over the weekend.
According to a reliable source, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of victimisation, the officer apparently left his money in his private vehicle to run some errands in the CBD in Mbombela and on his return, his money was missing and he was apparently informed about the suspect.
It is further alleged that the officer then traced the suspect and found him at Mbombela’s taxi rank, overpowered him and locked him in his car boot before driving to White River Taxi Rank.
It is further alleged that he called his friend who is a taxi driver, to join him in teaching the suspect a lesson.
According to eyewitnesses, the man was severely assaulted until he lost consciousness and fell to the ground, and that was when the police officer and his fellow friend fled from the scene.
“Members of the police, paramedics and pathologists, were then called to the scene, where the victim was declared dead,” said Brig Selvy Mohlala, the provincial police spokesperson.
He added that the case could not be associated with the xenophobic attacks as the victim was a local person and his family had been to the police station.
The taxi driver was arrested on Sunday evening, while the police officer handed himself to the police on Monday morning. They both appeared in the White River Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday on charges of murder.
They were both released on R1000 bail.
“Police management strongly condemns the unlawful act of the duo for taking the law into their own hands, especially the police official who knows the law and is expected to protect the inhabitants of the country, but acted to the contrary.
The management welcomes the arrest of the duo and is looking forward to the law taking its course,” added Mohlala.
