Murder GBV: Now Welkom policeman arrested for wife killing

Another policeman has been arrested for allegedly killing his policewoman wife in Welkom in the Freestate this week.

Independent Police Investigative Directorate spokesperson Ndikela Cola said that the 33-year-old constable was arrested on suspicion of murdering his wife on Monday night. The case is the latest in a string of femicide cases allegedly committed by members of the SAPS.

“The police officer was arrested at Odemdaalsrus Police Station with two firearms in his possession, one being an unlicensed firearm,” Cola said.

“It is alleged that the couple went to drop their 17-month-old toddler  at the deceased’s mother’s house and they left together,” Cola said.

Cola said that the body of the SAPS policewoman was found lying in the road early the next day.

“Police officers were called into the scene where they found the deceased’s body in pyjamas with a gunshot wound and all her valuable belongings still with her,” Cola said.

Cola said a medical officer declared the woman dead at the scene of the crime.

“IPID continues with the investigation process. A post-mortem will be conducted,” Cola said.

Cola said the suspect would be charged with murder and expected to appear in court this week.

An IPID research project on femicide which analysed the crime among members of the SAPS analysed 30 case files across nine provinces in 2009. Respondents in the study said they felt that the fact that SAPS members are required by the law to carry their weapons to protect members of the public, makes it very easy for them to use it to kill. According to the findings of the study 80% of the murders were committed using police service pistols. In only a few cases was the crime committed using a knife. The respondents raised concern that it was mostly lower ranked police officers who commit femicide, mostly constables (37%); inspectors (33%) and sergeants (13%), while the ranks from captain to superintendent were the lowest at 3%.