Verdict due for JMPD cop who shot and killed motorist

The metro police officer allegedly shot and killed a man during an altercation at a Johannesburg road intersection.

PRETORIA, April 14 (ANA) – Johannesburg Metro Police (JMPD) officer Bongani Baloyi, who allegedly shot and killed a motorist in 2019, was on Wednesday set to hear his fate at the High Court in Johannesburg.

The victim, Seja Lawrence Nkwana, died as a result of gunshot wounds to the head, chest and abdomen after an altercation, Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) spokeswoman Ndileka Cola said in a statement.

“The Independent Police Investigative Directorate probed the incident which occurred on the evening of 3 October 2019 wherein the victim … was travelling with three passengers in a Nissan towards Honeydew,” she said.

At an intersection in the Cosmo City area Baloyi, who was driving a Volkswagen Golf, made a u-turn in front of the Nissan and nearly caused a collision.

“Both drivers exchanged words, and the accused (Baloyi) fired shots at the deceased. The accused reported himself to police officials he found along the road as he walked away from the scene. The officers confiscated his firearm and he was later arrested,” said Cola.

“According to the post mortem report, Nkwana died as a result of gunshot wounds in the head, chest and abdomen. Upon finalising its investigation, IPID consulted the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for prosecutorial decision, which was granted.”

Baloyi has been appearing at the Johannesburg high court on charges including murder and three counts of attempted murder.

In March, IPID arrested eight members of the South African Police Service for allegedly murdering a suspect in custody over the possession of an unlicensed firearm and dagga.

The man was allegedly one of three suspects booked out by members of the Soweto crime intelligence gathering unit from Lenasia police station to Protea police station in the night on February 23.

The suspect collapsed and died while the police officers were interrogating him.

– African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Stella Mapenzauswa