Police lieutenant in court after he allegedly shot a 24-year-old man

THE trial of the Tshitale police lieutenant who allegedly shot and wounded 24-year-old Martin Ralikhuvhana in November last year in front of a shopping complex at Vleifontein near Elim is scheduled to continue on February 10.

He is currently out on R2 500 bail.

In the meantime, the Ralikhuvhana family wants to sue the safety and security minister, Nathi Mthethwa.

According to the victim, he had just bought cigarettes for a friend and was leaving the shop when a police van parked in front of the shop. He said a police official shot him in the back for no apparent reason and then just disappeared.

“I managed to call my friend who came in a truck and rushed me to the Vleifontein Clinic where nurses organised an ambulance and transferred me to the Elim Hospital where I spent two days,” he said.

“I don’t know why the official shot me and I was told by onlookers that he came back later to collect the cartridge.”

Ralikhuvhana’s father, Patrick, said they had reported the matter to the police and the case was now being handled by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).

“We are going to sue the minister of safety and security because a police officer wanted to kill my son,” he alleged.

IPID spokesperson, Moses Dlamini, confirmed that the IPID was investigating a case of attempted murder against a police lieutenant attached to the Tshitale police satellite station in Makhado.

“Action will be taken against him if found guilty,” Dlamini said.