Police officer, taxi driver in court for murder

It is alleged the suspects fatally assaulted the deceased, Vusi Madalane, at the White River taxi rank after they suspected him of having stolen money from the police official’s vehicle in Nelspruit, said Brigadier Selvy Mohlala.

The police officer, who had travelled with the deceased from Nelspruit, dragged him out of the boot of his vehicle at the taxi rank, where he and the taxi driver assaulted him (victim) until he lost consciousness. They then fled scene.

When police arrived on the scene, they found the victim lying on the ground with visible injuries on the body. He was certified dead on the scene, said Mohlala.

The taxi driver was arrested on Sunday night, and the police official handed himself over yesterday in the morning, added Mohlala.

The two appeared in the White River Magistrates’ Court today.

Last month, two police officers from Intsikeni, Kokstad were arrested for murder, attempted murder and defeating the ends of justice.

Police spokesperson Moses Dlamini said the men, aged 32 and 35, conducted a shebeen raid on December 20.

At one of the shebeens, the police were apparently attacked by members of the community.

According to the officers, the shebeen owner, Luthando Mjoli, fired a shot towards the police officers, fatally wounding a constable, then ran away.

“During the investigation conducted by Ipid, it was established that the deceased constable had in fact been shot and killed by another police officer,” Dlamini said.

“The police officers who were in that operation gave false information by saying that the deceased had been shot by Mjoli,” added Dlamini.

The shebeen owner had also been shot by the same police officer who shot and killed the constable.

– Caxton News Service