Cop arrested for allegedly shooting SANDF member dead outside police station

A 37-year-old police sergeant was arrested on Friday on allegations of murder after a South African National Defence Force (SANDF) member was shot dead outside the Hoedspruit Police Station in Limpopo.

The shooting occurred after the two were seen to have a fight at a local tavern, and the SANDF member went to the station to open a case but was turned away because he was drunk.

Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) spokesperson Phaladi Shuping explained that the SANDF member, 33, and the sergeant had a quarrel at Kinimambo tavern before the matter escalated.

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“The police sergeant went to the police station at around 2.30am and came across the SANDF member outside the premises of the police station,” Shuping said.

“He allegedly fired several shots, and the SANDF member was fatally wounded. Paramedics declared him dead.

“The incident was reported to IPID, and the police sergeant was arrested. He will appear in the Hoedspruit Magistrates’ Court on Monday facing a charge of murder.”

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Vengeance killing

Last week, IPID arrested four police officers for allegedly murdering a man they believe robbed one of their group in the Eastern Cape.

Shuping said the Public Order Policing (Pop) officers also face charges of kidnapping and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

“The police officers allegedly hunted down the deceased, a civilian, after accusing him of being one of the people who robbed one of the police officers and took him to the Pop building, where they allegedly assaulted him,” he said of the incident in Cradock.

“It is alleged that one of the officers fired a shot that hit the deceased.

“They allegedly left him unconscious when they reported off duty, and he was discovered by police officers from another shift, and they reported death in custody, which was investigated by IPID.”

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