Case against EMPD officers postponed
The officers are charged with murder, attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice and assault GBH.
Tsakani- Seven EMPD officers appeared in the Tsakani Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday for a formal bail hearing.
The officers are charged with murder, attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice and assault GBH. They were arrested on September 10 and 11 after they handed themselves over to the police.
Accused number seven has a pending case of theft and malicious damage to property, which is being heard at the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court.
It is alleged on Thursday night officers allegedly stormed a shack in Langaville Ext Six where four cousins, Mncedisi Shabalala, Dumisani Shezi, Zenzele Mgaga and Wandile Sibeko were sleeping.
Also read: Taxi driver shot and killed at Duduza taxi rank
Dressed in private clothes, without identifying themselves, they allegedly started assaulting the cousins.
Mncedisi and Dumisani managed to flee from the shack but were quickly stopped in their tracks.
Dumisani was shot twice in the leg, while Mncedisi was allegedly assaulted, strangled with a washing line wire and shot in the upper body.
The officers then allegedly dragged his body behind one of the three shacks in the yard and left.
Speaking on the witness stand, accused number one told the court that they were responding to a tip-off they received from a police informant that illegal firearms and narcotics were kept in the shack.
“Two of the four occupants managed to run out of the shack, one holding a firearm. One of the accused officials fired warning shots at one of the suspects who was shot in his left leg. We found a 45 calibre pistol on him,” he told the court.
The court was adjourned and postponed to September 27, 28 and 29 for scheduled six bail applications before the cross-questioning of accused number one.
The seven suspects are remanded at the Brakpan Police Station.
Also read: Taxi driver shot and killed at Duduza taxi rank
During the hearing, an angry mob demanded to be allowed inside the court. They damaged a security gate, the court glass door and cars parked inside the premises.
The female supporters stripped naked demanding to be allowed inside the court gallery.
Stun grenades and rubber bullets had to be used by the police to disperse the mob but this didn’t deter them.
Mcedisi’s cousin Msizeni Shezi said they are demanding justice for their late cousin.
“My cousin didn’t deserve to die like that, he moved to Langaville from Emnambithi in KZN two weeks ago to find a job. If the police were searching for anything illegal, why did they open fire on people who were sleeping and unarmed?
“We will not stop fighting until justice is served,” he explained.
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