Police constable out on bail after iron burn incident

Constable Martin Thabo Mathlala, stationed at the Middelburg K9 Unit in Mpumalanga, has been granted R1 000 bail after he was implicated in an incident where a woman was severely burnt with an iron and robbed of cash and a cellphone.

Mathlala’s appearance in court follows an incident where four men, one of whom had their face covered with a balaclava, are alleged to have attacked a couple in their house on December 2, 2016.

The men apparently demanded money from the victims, ransacked their house and found an undisclosed amount of cash, Middleburg Observer reported.

The suspects later demanded more money, and in the process, one of the suspects switched an electric iron on and burned the victims.

After the ordeal, the suspects stole electrical appliances before fleeing the scene. One of the suspects is reported to have gone back to the house and taken the victims’ cellphones.

A case of house robbery was opened, and a probe led to the arrest of Mathlala.

Police said they further uncovered that Mathlala, on several occasions, allegedly went to the family demanding money after he caught the man with drugs during a police raid.

Mathlala was granted bail with conditions that he does not communicate or intimidate the victims, and his case was postponed to February 17 for further investigation.

Additional cases will be levelled against him as the investigation proceeds.

“This is indicative that corrupt elements will not be tolerated within the service. Any police official who conducts himself or herself in an unbecoming manner, will face the full might of the law,” said police spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlati.

The burn wound on the inner thigh of the woman.

– Caxton News Service