A 32-year-old Mpumalanga police officer was arrested and is scheduled to appear in the Carolina Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, facing charges of the alleged double murder of his partner and her mother. Additionally, he stands accused of attempted murder for injuring the victims’ stepfather during the incident.
Tragic events that led to the crime
According to police spokesperson Col Donald Mdhluli, the suspect purportedly informed the mother of his children about a mechanical breakdown, requesting her assistance in towing his vehicle. Responding to the call, the partner, her mother, stepfather, and three children went out in her VW Polo to help.
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Mdhluli revealed that upon arrival at the scene, the suspect allegedly shot and killed his partner and her mother. The stepfather sustained a gunshot wound but managed to survive the attack. Subsequently, the suspect commandeered his partner’s vehicle, fleeing the scene with the three minors inside, leaving the victims critically injured.
Unfortunately for the suspect, he lost control of the vehicle, resulting in a crash. Trapped inside the car with the children, the police were alerted to the accident. Upon arriving at the scene, officers arrested the suspect while paramedics attended to the injured children, taking one of them to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries. A firearm was confiscated during the arrest.
Col Mdhluli emphasized that it remains unclear whether the victims were shot with an official police firearm, a crucial detail to be determined in the ongoing investigation.
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Tragically, the children’s mother and grandmother were pronounced dead at the scene, while their grandfather was admitted to the hospital for medical attention. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) is set to conduct its own investigation into the incident.
SAPS Statement on the tragic event
Expressing her deep regret, Mpumalanga police commissioner Lt-Gen Daphney Manamela stated, “It is indeed unfortunate that one of our members, who should be protective, is alleged to have wiped out members of a family, leaving behind children in a very traumatic situation.”
Manamela urged police force members to seek professional help when facing difficulties in their families or relationships rather than resorting to acts of violence.