BY ERIC MATOME KGOMO
DENNILTON: The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) is investigating three counts of murder and attempted murder cases. This is after an off duty police constable attached to Dennilton Police Station, went on a shooting rampage at a tavern in Moteti Village in the early hours of Monday 29 March.
Three victims died instantly and one was rushed to hospital for medical attention after he was shot by the police man.
According to witnesses, the cause of the shooting was a result of a heated argument between the victims and the police officer’s niece.
“The argument started at the tavern when a group of men playing a game of dice, wherein apparently the three victims threatened the police officer’s niece who rushed home to call his uncle. The uncle who is a police, arrived and a heated argument ensued within the cycle and subsequently, the police officer produced a firearm and started shooting,” said a community member who witnessed the incident.
He said the officer went on a shooting rampage until four men were hit and lie on the ground.
“No one wanted to intervene in the commotion as bullets were flying to different directions. Everyone was running for cover to save their lives,” he said.
IPID National Spokesperson, Ndileka Cola, said the directorate has taken over the scene after three people were allegedly killed by a police officer.
“The directorate has taken over the scene of crime in Dennilton, Limpopo, to investigate death as a result of police action incident which occurred earlier on Monday 29 March. It is alleged that a police officer has shot dead three people in Limpopo. IPID’s investigating team has been dispatched to map out what transpired in that scene,” Cola said.
Cola said preliminary investigations alleged that the police officer fatally shot three people whilst the fourth one survived gunshot wounds and is currently in hospital.
However, Cola said the police officer was acting on a tip-off tracing suspects who were coming from Pretoria when the incident happened.
“According the information received thus far, the police constable from the Crime Intelligence Unit in Dennilton Police Station, received a tip off that certain people from Pretoria would be arriving in Dennilton on Sunday the 28 March, the officer allegedly sought the necessary approval from the police commander to act on the tip off, the commander advised him to get his colleague to go with him, but due to other challenges his colleague could not join him,” she said.
Cola indicated that it is alleged that the officer then went to White House Tavern on the same Sunday with his niece.
“Later an argument ensued between the officer and other people in the tavern. The police officer allegedly fatally shot the three people and the fourth one sustained serious injuries and is currently in hospital,” she said.
Cola said IPID is investigating three counts of murder and one attempted murder case.
