“He Voiced His Concerns Over His Safety”| New Details Emerge On Thabo Bester Top Cop Who Shot Himself
Brigadier Jackson Mkhaulesi, the prominent investigator assigned to the Thabo Bester escape case, expressed his concerns about his own safety moments before he parked his vehicle on the side of a bustling road in Bloemfontein and tragically took his own life.
In a recent report, it has been revealed that Brigadier Jackson Mkhaulesi, a seasoned police officer, had made assertions of being “followed” and expressed genuine fear for his life.
Tragically, on Monday, 5 June, Mkhaulesi, who served as the head of the Free State Organized Crime Unit, took his own life using a government-issued firearm.
This devastating event took place mere hours after the dismissal of Nandipha Magudumana’s plea for release, which was based on her allegations of an “unlawful arrest” in connection with the Thabo Bester escape case.
THABO BESTER COP ‘FEARED FOR SAFETY’
According to News24, a source revealed new information about Brigadier Jackson Mkhaulesi’s death earlier this week. This included;
- The policeman expressed fear for his safety and claimed that he and his team members were being followed.
- Reporting the concerns to his seniors, who were undertaking a risk assessment on him.
- His death occurred while police were still assessing his concerns.
- The policeman reportedly shot himself with a state firearm. A single bullet to his upper body was allegedly recorded.
‘LEFT COURT IN TEARS’
Tragically, the policeman’s untimely demise took place just moments after he departed from the Bloemfontein High Court.
It was during this court appearance that Nandipha Magudumana’s urgent application, seeking to declare her “deportation” from Tanzania as unlawful, was ultimately dismissed.
According to the publication, the policeman was overcome with emotion as he left the court.
A source said:
“He left the court in tears and jumped into his vehicle and drove off, where he killed himself.
“Our colleagues are probing what could have led to his death. Depression is also not ruled out. We don’t know why he killed himself. He was a dedicated and talented senior investigator in the country”.
According to journalist Mzilikazi wa Afrika, the policeman’s death occurred just before noon on Monday. He tweeted:
“One of #ThaboBester investigators stopped his white Ford Ranger, just on the corner of Rhodes Avenue and Harvey Road in Bloemfontein, and shot himself. It isn’t yet known what pushed the brigadier to take his own life”.
He added:
“The brigadier had 31 years of uninterrupted service as a police officer, and he was also a provincial head responsible for Organised Crime in the Free State province”
According to National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola, no foul play was suspected following the Brigadier’s death.
In a media briefing on Friday, he said,
“Presently, preliminary investigations have revealed that no foul play is suspected. We confirm that Mkhaulesi took his life after attending the court proceedings.”