Tsomo teen was shot, not stabbed

A Tsomo teen who was killed during a police raid on Friday was shot, and not stabbed, as initially thought.

The Dispatch reported on Tuesday that Tsomo High School Grade 10 pupil Nathi Sotushe, 19, was killed by Tsomo police in an early morning raid  on his home. His family said he was assaulted and stabbed in the neck with a sharp object.

Ipid spokesperson Cola confirmed to the Dispatch on Tuesday the police watchdog was investigating the death “as a result of police action” case.

Police were  searching for an unlicensed firearm that was suspected to be Sotushe's bedroom.

No firearm was found.

Cola said according to Ipid's information, Sotushe was shot in the neck, not stabbed as Sotushe's uncle Mninawe Gwadela had told the Dispatch.

She did not say how many times the teen was shot.

“The gunshot wounds were discovered during the postmortem, which was attended by Ipid,” Cola said.

Ipid investigators had visited the crime scene, she added, and confirmed police found no firearms at Sotushe's house.

“No firearm has been recovered. The investigation continues and upon completion the matter will be referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions for a final decision.”

Amnesty International SA spokesperson Mienke Steytler stressed the importance of investigating cases where people had allegedly died in the hands of the police.

“It's extremely important that each and every one of the incidents where police have been involved and people have died is investigated. The investigations must be transparent and made public,” said Steytler.

“Ipid must make these investigations. People are possibly being killed and those cases are not investigated, and in this case we welcome the Ipid investigation. Now we ask that the outcome of their investigation is made public so that media and civil society can have access to the findings.”

Gwadela said when the police raided  he did not think he heard gunshots but there was one particular “bang” that propelled him to check on Sotushe in his room.

“At first, the police didn't know what happened to Nathi [Sotushe] and they just told me he was shot, and that makes sense. I heard a loud bang when they were in Nathi's  room,”  Gwadela said on Tuesday.

“I thought maybe someone threw a large rock on my roof — I didn't realise it was a gunshot. Now that I know what happened to him I will seek legal help on what to do next.”  

The Dispatch reported last month that police shot dead three Eastern Cape residents in their own homes in separate incidents in the space of five days.  Those fatal shootings happened in Dutywa, Qumbu and Mthatha.