A police officer has been sentenced to 15 years in jail, for murder. The Limpopo High Court sentenced the 41-year-old sergeant this week.

A police officer has been sentenced to 15 years in jail

IPID’s Lizzy Suping says Sergeant Avhahumi Adolphus Netshikweta was sentenced to fifteen years of direct imprisonment following the murder of a civilian during a crime prevention operation 2017. The operation took place on 20 September of that year, in Lebowakgomo.

The murder of a civilian during a crime prevention operation

At the same time, IPID’s Phaladi Shuping added that the allegation was that members of the Lebowakgomo Cluster Reaction Team had stopped a suspicious vehicle during a crime prevention operation on the previously mentioned day. He says the driver allegedly refused to stop and pointed a firearm at officers.

A suspicious vehicle

Shuping says the now-convicted officer then fired 2 shots in the direction of the suspect, fatally wounding him. He says a firearm was allegedly found in possession of the deceased, with dagga and nyaope drugs.

In an IPID statement, the Limpopo High Court also declared the accused officer unfit to possess a firearm.