Cape Town - A police officer is facing a murder charge after he allegedly shot and killed a man in Somerset West.
The incident happened on Boxing Day when the victim was walking along the R44 with three other people.
According to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), the officer faces three charges.
The officer was reportedly in a van when they spotted the four civilians. They searched them and ordered them to go back home. When they refused, the officer fired a shot at one of them, fatally wounding him.
Ipid spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said: “We have arrested a police officer on allegations of murder, possession of ammunition and assault.
“It is alleged that on December 26, at around 3am, four people, two males and two females, were walking on the R44 road, Somerset West, when a police van stopped next to them and the police officers demanded to search them.
“They complied and after they were searched, the police officers told them to go back home, but they explained that they were going to buy electricity at the nearby Total petrol station. It is alleged the officers did not want to listen to them and the four people were adamant that they had to buy electricity. One of the officers allegedly took out his firearm and fired at them and one of them was fatally wounded.”
Shuping said the police officer who allegedly fired a shot was arrested by the Ipid.
“He will appear in the local magistrate’s court, facing charges of murder, illegal possession of ammunition and assault.”
He is the fifth police officer to have been arrested during the last week.
Kevin Tamboer and Stanton van Heerden were arrested by the Ipid last week after a month-long investigation into a near fatal shooting.
The two Atlantis officers are accused of kidnapping and shooting an alleged thief and leaving him to die. They were released on R15 000 bail by the Atlantis Magistrate’s Court.
Two officers are accused of allowing a taxi boss, who is facing numerous serious charges, to drive a police van.
Officers Masixole Mgaqelwa, 31, and Yolisa Ngomso, 25, appeared along with businessman Bonke Makalala on December 20 in the Simon’s Town Magistrate’s Court.
Police Minister Bheki Cele said 5489 police officers had been arrested since 2019 for crimes, including murder, stock theft and the “negligent loss of a firearm”.
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za
Cape Argus