LIMPOPO – A 55-year-old police captain, attached to the Modjadjiskloof Police Station, has appeared before the Giyani Magistrate Court today on charge of murder and attempted murder. He has been remanded in custody and is set to reappear on 27 May for formal bail application, reads a statement issued by Police spokesperson, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo.
This after he is alleged to have shot and killed a young man and wounded his brother, during a quarrel at tavern in Giyani over the weekend.
In an earlier report it is alleged the officer, who is also said to be the owner of the tavern, had a quarrel with one of his patrons before he fatally shot him using a pistol belonging to his wife. It is further alleged that when the brother of the deceased interfered, the officer also shot him. He was wounded and is currently receiving treatment at a local hospital
The deceased has been identified as 22-year-old Oscar Mkhabela, from Makosha village, said Mojapelo.
Following the incident, the community of Makosha village then mobilised, looted the tavern and torched the building together with four vehicles, belonging to the family of the accused.
Eight suspects, aged between 22 and 33, arrested in connection with the public violence incident will appear before the Giyani Magistrate’s Court tomorrow (Tuesday, 21 May) on charges of public violence, he concluded.
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Limpopo police captain arrested in connection with the murder of a patron at a tavern
LIMPOPO – A 55-year-old police captain was arrested on Sunday morning on charges of murder and attempted murder, after one man was killed an another injured, during a shooting incident at a tavern in Makosha village, Giyani.
According to a statement issued by Police Spokesperson, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo, the deceased was allegedly shot after a quarrel with the officer, who is also said to be the owner of the tavern.
“The officer, who is said to be the owner of a tavern at Makosha village in Giyani had a quarrel with one of his patrons before allegedly shooting the patron dead with a pistol, belonging to his wife. When the brother of the deceased interfered he was also shot and wounded and is currently receiving treatment at a local hospital,” Mojapelo explained.
It is further alleged that, upon hearing about the murder, the community of Makosha village mobilised and stormed the tavern. During the incident the community looted the liquor and other valuables before setting the building and four vehicles which belonged to the family of the arrested suspect alight.
“A retired police officer, who allegedly attempted to scare the crowd away by discharging his private firearm, was also assaulted and disarmed. He was admitted at a local hospital. The said firearm was handed over to Giyani police station,” said Mojapelo.
Mojapelo added that two police vehicles were also damaged after the police enforced the law to calm the situation.During the incident eight suspects, aged between 22 and 33, were arrested and will appear before the Giyani Magistrate’s Court soon on a charge of public violence..”
The arrested officer will also soon appear before the same court on charges of murder and attempted murder.
The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba has instructed the investigators of this incident to leave no stone unturned in determining and uncovering exactly what happened. The General has, in the same breath, condemned, in the strongest possible terms, what seemed to be the violent retaliation by the community of Makosha village. “ Residents are urged to report any form of criminality to the police and desist from taking the law into their own hands,” concluded General Ledwaba.
