Durban – The police constable who was arrested on Friday after allegedly shooting dead his superior inside the Ekhombe Police Station in Nkandla, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, had been under the influence of alcohol.
According to sources, the 30-year-old constable had called in sick when he was supposed to report for duty that afternoon.
The Daily News understands that Sergeant Malusi Thokazi Sibisi, 43, who was on duty at the time, had gone to ask off-duty police officers who lived near the station to keep the noise levels down.
When Sibisi arrived there, he found the 30-year-old constable who had called in sick among the group of off-duty officers. Sibisi then used his cellphone to record the constable socialising with his colleagues.
It’s alleged that shortly after Sibisi left to return to the station, the constable also left the party.
Sibisi and two other officers were inside the police station when the constable walked in shortly before 10pm night and fired three shots with his service pistol. Sibisi died at the scene.
After committing the act, the constable apparently threw his service pistol on the counter and was arrested.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane said the suspect was expected to appear in the Nkandla Magistrate’s Court today.
When asked whether he could confirm the circumstances around the shooting, Zwane said: “It’s still early stages in the investigation and we can’t confirm that right now.
“It is alleged that a police officer was on duty when he was approached by an off-duty police officer who fired shots and killed the on-duty officer. The suspect was immediately arrested by other colleagues,” he said.
Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) spokesperson Moses Dlamini said he was aware of the case and they would be investigating it.
By IOL News.