A former Soshanguve police sergeant has been sentenced to life imprisonment in the High Court in Pretoria.
Sergeant Mautla Silas Maluleke, 42, was convicted in July on a charge of murder, two counts of assault and arson.
In June 2021, Maluleke started shooting at the house of his ex-girlfriend, constable Rhofiwa Munyai, a policewoman, in the process killing her 82-year-old grandmother, Tshavhungwe Munyai, and injuring her and her six-year-old son.
After the shooting, he set the house alight. He was arrested a week later.
According to Pretoria News, Maluleke’s legal representatives presented his plea bargain in court in July before judgment was handed down, but he was still convicted.
The national spokesperson for the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), Robbie Raburabu said Maluleke, who was attached to Rietgat police station in Soshanguve, has been under investigation since the incident in June 2021.
He said there was an exchange of gunfire between the officers at the time of the incident.
Maluleke was arrested a week later by the members of the Ipid, he appeared in court and was subsequently denied bail.
He has been remanded in custody since his arrest. Maluleke has since been dismissed from the SA Police Service (SAPS).
The court sentenced Maluleke to life imprisonment for murder, 10 years imprisonment for each count of attempted murder, and 12 years imprisonment for arson.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
IOL