The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) in the Western Cape has secured a conviction on a murder case against a police officer.
Constable Luvulo Kowa, who is attached to Milnerton police station, was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Out of the 15 years handed down by the Milnerton court on Friday, four years have been suspended, meaning Kowa will serve an effective 11 years in prison.
According to Ipid, Kowa killed a person in 2017 when the police were conducting patrols.
Ipid national spokesperson Robbie Raburabu said Kowa and his colleague were conducting patrols in an area called Du Noon in the Milnerton when they stopped to search five men.
“During the process of searching, one person, a 43-year-old Ntoli Segaecho, decided to flee before being searched.
“Constable Kowa decided to shoot at Mr Segaecho at the back killing him instantly.”
Ipid took over the case docket and investigated a charge of murder and Kowa was dismissed from the service following disciplinary hearings.
In court, Kowa defended himself, saying the deceased was in possession of a firearm which he was attacking him with.
The court rejected his version of events because it was not supported by any evidence before the court.
Meanwhile, Mthuthuzeli Mketshana, a former warrant officer attached to the KwaZakhele police station in Gqeberha, has been sentenced to 15 years in jail for killing a fellow police officer.
The 58-year-old convicted murderer appeared in the New Brighton regional court this week, where his fate was decided.
Mketshana fatally shot 44-year-old Mbuyiseli Simakuhle after an alleged road rage argument.
Police Minister Bheki Cele said in June that most murders occur in public places including streets, fields, parks and abandoned buildings, beaches, and liquor outlets.
Cele said this while he was announcing the crime statistics for the second quarter of the year.
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