Tuesday, August 2o, 2024 - A South African police officer has taken his own life after he killed a young woman in a hit-and run crash and fled the scene.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda in a
statement on Monday, confirmed the 48-year-old officer's death. He allegedly
took his own life at a hotel in uMhlanga.
Netshiunda stated that the 26-year-old woman was knocked down along
the Phoenix Highway in the early hours of Saturday morning.
At the time, Reaction Unit SA (Rusa) reported receiving a call from
a local farmer about a black Toyota Fortuner on his property.
Rusa's Prem Balram said the vehicle, equipped with blue lights and
sirens, was damaged in the front.
"The vehicle's registration plates were removed. The
information obtained from the licence disc was handed over to police and it was
established that the vehicle was reported stolen at Phoenix police
station," he said.
Balram said they later learned that the vehicle was involved n a
hit-and-run and the driver fled the scene.
The woman killed at the scene was Phumla Mtshali. Her family
reported the matter at the Phoenix police station and a culpable homicide case
was opened.
Netshiunda said the front registration plate was picked up.
"Shortly after a case of culpable homicide was registered at
Phoenix police station, a Sergeant who was the last person to be in possession
of the state vehicle in question went to the same police station to open a case
of theft of a motor vehicle," Netshiunda said.
He said on Monday morning police received
reports that the Sergeant, who was implicated in the hit-and-run incident, had
taken his own life.
"Circumstances surrounding the
apparent suicide incident form part of police investigations," Netshiunda
said.
0 Comments