Murder charge hangs over CID officer

Sharon Mathala | Wednesday July 2, 2014 06:59

Police have confirmed that the officer appeared for an inquest hearing on April 16 in connection with the shooting death of Aupa Elias, who died following an alleged car chase in Mahalapye in the wee hours of September 11, 2012. 

According to documents seen by Mmegi, on the night of the shooting, Elias and his friend were driving a vehicle in Mahalapye when they noticed a Toyota Hilux approaching them from behind. 

 

The documents, which contain Elias’ friend’s statement, claim the police chased down the two and the deceased was shot and killed during the confrontation.

“There was no car coming from behind until I reached the Emang Basadi turn,” the friend said in his statement.

“That is when I noticed a 2.7 Toyota Hilux behind us which was quickly approaching us. I heard two gunshots behind my car.”

The friend claimed that after the gunshots, a police vehicle blocked their way and they were ordered to exit the vehicle.

“One officer tripped me down to the tarred road and as I tripped I heard gunshots from the passenger side,” the witness said.

“When I looked at the direction from where my friend (the deceased) had been, I realised he was now lying down on the road bleeding.”

In their statements, police involved in the car chase on the night, including the officer facing the murder charge, claim they followed Elias and the friend throughout Mahalapye, making several attempts to stop them for suspicious behaviour.

The police say at one point, the two friends blocked the police from catching up to them and used other tactics to avoid being stopped during a chase that wound through the village.

The police officers say they fired several shots at the vehicle during the chase, but deny that further shots were fired after the vehicle was stopped.

Mmegi has been informed that a file containing murder charges against the officer in question could be submitted in court next month, as investigations into the incident are complete.

BPS spokesperson, Christopher Mbulawa, said an inquest hearing into the police officer had been held in April.

“The matter is now in the hands of the courts of law and I cannot confirm allegations that the he may appear for murder charges,” he said.