Police murder

A female police officer is charged with murder for allegedly shooting and killing her colleague. PHOTO: Twitter/SAPoliceService

Female police officer charged with murdering her colleague

A female police officer has been arrested and charged with murder for allegedly shooting and killing her colleague.

Police murder

A female police officer is charged with murder for allegedly shooting and killing her colleague. PHOTO: Twitter/SAPoliceService

A female police officer was arrested for allegedly murdering her colleague when a gunshot went off during a police patrol in Gqeberha.

The officer, 31, is attached to the Anti-Gang Unit in Gqeberha and was arrested on Tuesday by the Hawks.

THE POLICE OFFICERS WERE PATROLLING TOGETHER

It’s alleged that she was among six officers who patrolled the KwaDwesi area on 17 June. Three of the police officers noticed three men whom they stopped to search, said Eastern Cape Hawks spokesperson Captain Yolisa Mgolodela.

“All three [police] members are reported to have gone out of the vehicle to search the suspects and found nothing on them. The three [police officers] then returned to their vehicle, where three other members were waiting,” she said.

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POLICE INITIALLY HEARD A RANDOM GUNSHOT

As the three officers entered the vehicle, they all heard a gunshot, which they thought nothing of.

What the officers had not noticed, however, is that one of their colleagues in the backseat was unwell.

“As they drove away from the scene, the driver noticed that the police member seated at the back was not looking well. The member at the back then told his colleagues that he was not feeling well and that his stomach was sore.”

Captain Yolisa Mgolodela

It was then discovered that the officer had been shot. He was immediately rushed to Mercantile Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

“The deceased had one gunshot wound to the left side of his stomach,” Mgolodela said.

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Investigations and tests found that the gunshot had come from one of his colleagues, Mgolodela told The South African.

“Tests were conducted during investigations and they showed the suspect was associated and linked to the murder of the colleague.”

How the murder happened was still unclear but details will be revealed at the trial. The officer is expected to make her first appearance before the New Brighton Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

rorisang@thesouthafrican.com