Eastern Cape police officer to appear in court for triple murder

Durban – A South African Police Service (SAPS) constable from the Eastern Cape province is set to appear in the Centane magistrate court on Monday after shooting three people dead and seriously wounding another.

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) confirmed on Monday that it was investigating a case of triple murder and one case of attempted murder, following the incident last Wednesday.

The suspect was arrested on the same day, IPID spokesperson Ndileka Cola said in a statement.

The warrant officer from the Mthatha VIP Protection Unit allegedly borrowed a piece of land belonging to a church in Centane, in the Eastern Cape’s Amathole district municipality.

A church elder or “headman” allegedly helped the accused facilitate the transaction, Cola said. Following the transaction, the church however started building a hall on the same piece of land which had been leased out to the police officer.

“As alleged, the suspect went to the church and confronted the pastor. He allegedly shot the pastor and other church members whilst the other person who was on the scene survived,” Cola said.

The officer also fatally shot the church elder who helped him to acquire the land. He was then arrested that same day and his firearm was confiscated and taken in for a ballistic test.

The murder suspect will appear before the Centane magistrate court for a possible bail hearing. According to the IPID, the state will be opposing bail.

“IPID continues with the investigation process of this case, the investigator will attend the post-mortem to be conducted in Butterworth today,” Cola said.

African News Agency (ANA)