Policeman ‘kills’ family pet

A devastated Rembrand Park family are seeking justice after their dog was allegedly shot and killed by a Sandringham police officer in their home.

The dog owner, Mukesh Goburdhun said his dog was shot dead in front of him and his children allegedly by a police officer. Goburdhun said he loved the dog named Duke and is heartbroken that he was killed. He said, “I am extremely sad that Duke died the way he did and without much explanation.”

Goburdhun said police were responding to an attempted burglary incident at his home. “The police entered the property after we called them and the dog became restless and my 14-year-old son tried to calm him down,” he said.

A police officer who, according to Goburdhun had a trainee badge, allegedly shot the dog with a rifle. Goburdhun said the policeman had fired “within less than a metre of my son and 16-year-old daughter”. He added that the policeman claimed to have shot the dog in self-defence.

“Duke suffered severe injuries from the shooting and the vet had to put him down as a result,” said a devastated Goburdhun. He added that the dog had been like an additional member of the family. “We had him for about five years.”

When North Eastern Tribune contacted the station’s spokesperson Warrant Officer Moses Maphakela he denied the incident, Maphakela said no one had opened such a case. This after the reporter provided him with the case number from the complainant. Maphakela said, “There is no such case, I checked it twice.”

However, upon further investigation, provincial spokesperson Lieutenant Lungelo Dlamini confirmed the case had been reported and was being investigated following the death of the dog. “It is a charge of animal cruelty,” he said.