An Mpumalanga police officer appeared in the Ogies Magistrate’s Court on Monday for allegedly shooting five people who were sitting in a car in the street near his home.
Constable Checha Doctor Makau has been charged with two counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder.
According to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) the incident happened on September 30, 2023.
“It is alleged that Constable Makau, who was stationed at Ogies Detectives, allegedly shot at people who were sitting in a car in the street near his home,” said Ipid spokesperson, Phaladi Shuping.
“Dineo Kekane, 24, and Ricardo Phenganane, 24, died from gunshot wounds. Meanwhile, Mbali Magakwe and Ivans Lekala, both 24, and Goodwill Mdluli suffered serious injuries from the alleged shooting, but survived,” he said.
Shuping said Makau was arrested on Monday.
The case was postponed to March 4, 2024 for a formal bail application.
In another matter, a Durban woman has been arrested in connection with her fiancée’s murder.
Police said the victim, Sergeant Sakhile Manyisa, died under “mysterious circumstances” in June 2022.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said Manyisa was found dead on the staircase of a flat which he shared with the accused.
The flat was situated on Gopalall Hurbans Road in Gandhinagar, oThongathi.
Speaking about the arrest, Netshiunda said a “meticulous investigation” by the Provincial Organised Crime Unit, Umhlali Task Team, Umhlali K9 Unit, KwaDukuza police and Crime Intelligence officers led to the arrest over the weekend.
“On Saturday, the team pounced on the 34-year-old suspect at a fast food outlet in Waterloo where she worked as a store manager.”
He said at the time of the murder, there was no information coming out of those who could have possibly seen or heard something.
“The investigating team pulled out all the stops in the search for justice and all pieces of information led to the fiancée who was duly arrested.”
IOL News