According to witnesses, a police officer and taxi driver hauled a man out of the boot of a vehicle at the taxi rank, before assaulting the man until he lost consciousness. The two suspects then fled the scene.
The police were contacted and arrived to find the victim on the ground with visible injuries all over his body. Soon after, he was pronounced dead on the scene by paramedics.
The taxi driver, Bheki Fankomo (28), was arrested on Sunday night and the police officer, const. Leonard Chiloane (35), handed himself over on Monday morning.
The men reportedly assaulted the victim because they suspected him of stealing cash from the police officer’s vehicle in Mbombela.
The suspects appeared in the White River Magistrate’s Court yesterday (Tuesday) on a charge of murder. They were granted R1 000 bail each. The case has been postponed to June 26, pending further investigation.
Police management spoke out strongly against people taking the law into their own hands, especially by police officers who know the law and should be protecting residents.
