Case against cop charged with murdering Tembisa Hospital nurse postponed

The murder case against a police officer, alleged to have killed an assistant nurse at Tembisa Hospital in February this year, has been postponed to 11 July 2022.

The police constable, who is yet to be identified, has been under police guard in hospital since he allegedly shot dead Lebo Monene in the parking lot of Tembisa Hospital.

The man allegedly turned the gun on himself after allegedly killing the 30-year-old assistant nurse in cold blood. He has since been undergoing a rehabilitation process in the hospital.

It’s understood that Monene broke up with him and they share a child together.

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Police watchdog, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), said the man was supposed to make his appearance on Monday at the Tembisa Magistrate’s Court, after numerous delays for three months due to his ill health.  

He could not make it to court once again as he was still in hospital recovering.

Ipid spokesperson Lizzy Suping said the case was therefore deferred in his absentia.

“The accused is still in hospital. According to his doctor, he will be admitted to hospital for quite a while,” Suping said.

‘Toxic relationship’

Meanwhile, Monene’s brother, Daniel Thobakgale, in February described the relationship between his sister and the officer as “too toxic”.

“That is what I was told because the gentleman, it seems as if every time they had a quarrel he would say, ‘Where is my gun? I will shoot you’. That’s the reason Lebo decided to end the relationship,” he said, speaking to the media.

Thobakgale refrained from providing more details of their relationship, adding that the police officer’s family knew of the issues surrounding the pair because they had had meetings with them.

Compiled by Thapelo Lekabe

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