An East London Flying Squad constable is the subject of a murder investigation after allegedly using his state-issue firearm while off-duty to shoot dead a homeless man in Amalinda.
The incident happened outside the policeman’s home just after 7pm on Saturday night.
Eastern Cape police spokesman Major Ernest Sigobe said the homeless man allegedly threatened the officer with an axe.
“The allegation is the deceased entered the home of the officer armed with an axe with the intention to burgle it.
“Upon seeing him in the yard the officer ran to grab his firearm but the deceased fled the scene,” Sigobe said.
“The details surrounding this incident are still sketchy at the moment but we can confirm the officer allegedly shot and killed the deceased,” Sigobe said.
The body of the unidentified man was found at the back of the Preston’s building, about 1km away from the officer’s home.
A crime scene investigator who was at the scene said the homeless man was shot in the head while walking in the vicinity of Preston’s.
At the time of the incident the officer allegedly was in the company of his father and fired the shot while in his private vehicle.
The deceased was found lying next to his axe.
Sigobe said a murder case was opened for investigation.
“The docket has been forwarded to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) for further investigation.
“The officer has not been arrested,” Sigobe said.
Ipid spokesman Moses Dlamini said they would investigate the complaint and make a recommendation at a later stage.
“The issue of the police officer not having been arrested rests with the police; they have a discretionary power over that.
“There may have been a logical explanation for not immediately arresting him,” Dlamini said. “The law would take its course.”
Police said the identity of the deceased was not yet known and his body was taken to the Mdantsane forensic pathology mortuary in NU1. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
Officer kills intruder after alleged axe threat
The incident happened outside the policeman’s home just after 7pm on Saturday night.
Eastern Cape police spokesman Major Ernest Sigobe said the homeless man allegedly threatened the officer with an axe.
“The allegation is the deceased entered the home of the officer armed with an axe with the intention to burgle it.
“Upon seeing him in the yard the officer ran to grab his firearm but the deceased fled the scene,” Sigobe said.
“The details surrounding this incident are still sketchy at the moment but we can confirm the officer allegedly shot and killed the deceased,” Sigobe said.
The body of the unidentified man was found at the back of the Preston’s building, about 1km away from the officer’s home.
A crime scene investigator who was at the scene said the homeless man was shot in the head while walking in the vicinity of Preston’s.
At the time of the incident the officer allegedly was in the company of his father and fired the shot while in his private vehicle.
The deceased was found lying next to his axe.
Sigobe said a murder case was opened for investigation.
“The docket has been forwarded to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) for further investigation.
“The officer has not been arrested,” Sigobe said.
Ipid spokesman Moses Dlamini said they would investigate the complaint and make a recommendation at a later stage.
“The issue of the police officer not having been arrested rests with the police; they have a discretionary power over that.
“There may have been a logical explanation for not immediately arresting him,” Dlamini said. “The law would take its course.”
Police said the identity of the deceased was not yet known and his body was taken to the Mdantsane forensic pathology mortuary in NU1. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
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