A 40-year-old off-duty constable was arrested on Tuesday night for allegedly shooting his colleague, an on-duty sergeant, dead inside a Community Service Centre (CSC) at the Nsuze police station, north of oThongathi in KwaZulu-Natal.
KZN provincial police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda, said information at this stage indicates that a ,47, sergeant was on duty at the Community Service Centre with his colleague, a constable, on Tuesday night.
The constable on duty was doing a routine patrol inside the premises of the police station when he heard gunshot sounds coming out of the Community Service Centre (CSC), he said..
The constable rushed to investigate and reportedly saw an off duty constable running away from the CSC.
“When the on-duty constable entered the CSC he reportedly found his sergeant colleague sitting on a chair with gunshot wounds. He was declared dead on the scene,” said Netshiunda.
Netshiunda said the suspected murderer was arrested after he reported for duty on Wednesday, June 5.
“The motive of the killing is unknown at this stage,”he said.
KZN provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi encouraged police officers to make use of internal Employee Health and Wellness (EHW) programmes to maintain a sound and sober state of mind at all times and to avoid resorting to violence as a form of resolving issues.
Mkhwanazi said police officers must maintain good relations with fellow officers and always strive to become each other’s keeper.
“Commanders must be observant at all times and be closer to their members so that they may identify any feud between officers or any sense of unhappiness.
“Policing is a demanding and traumatic job at times and police officers are the most prized resources of the organisation and must be looked after as such,” he said.
He said the incident in Nsuze is unfortunate.
“Although criminal charges and internal disciplinary process will be pursued against the suspect, more efforts must be invested into the investigation of what could have led to such a gruesome murder inside a building which is supposed to be a safe haven for police officers,” said Mkhwanazi.
Last month the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) said a police officer was convicted for assaulting his colleague.
Ipid spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said the court heard how on September 27, 2022, Warrant Officer Johan Opperman, 36, was on duty when he had an altercation with his colleague, Constable Frans Bors.
“During that altercation, concerning a work related issue, Warrant Officer Opperman assaulted Constable Bors with his bare hands in front of other colleagues. The two officers were stationed at Kroonstad SAPS state garage.”
Shuping said the incident was reported to Ipid and investigators took over the case for investigation. The docket was handed to the prosecutors and Warrant Officer Opperman was charged for common assault.
“He was found guilty as charged and sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. The sentence was wholly suspended for three years, on condition that he is not found guilty of a similar offence during the period of suspension,” said Shuping.
THE MERCURY