Cop in dock over KZN road
rage shooting
2014-11-06 12:38
Pietermaritzburg - Shooting victim Kavlin
Naidoo’s mother collapsed in shock at Grey’s Hospital on Wednesday when she
heard a policeman had been arrested for shooting her son, and had been released
on bail.
The suspect, Sergeant Thobelani Khuzwayo -
who is based at the Family Violence, Child Abuse and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS)
- was granted bail of R2 000. He appeared briefly in the Pietermaritzburg
Magistrate’s Court in connection with a charge of attempted murder. The State
did not oppose his release on bail.
The 27-year-old IT specialist remained in a
critical condition in the ICU at Grey’s after being shot in the stomach in what
was described as a “road rage” incident.
He is on life support.
Self-defence
The Witness was told that Khuzwayo
surrendered himself to the arresting officer at Loop Street police station on
Wednesday.
Khuzwayo was allegedly driving a state
vehicle and allegedly used his service pistol to shoot Naidoo on Sunday night.
While witnesses including Naidoo’s fiancée,
Sandhani Padayachee and his brother, Davelin, maintain the shooting was
unprovoked, it is understood that Khuzwayo is claiming he acted in
self-defence.
His colleagues were reportedly shocked to
hear of his arrest.
A source said he was known as a good and
hard-working policeman who has served more than 10 years in the police service.
The 37-year-old from Imbali township was
reportedly on “stand-by duty” when the incident happened.
There is a dispute about whether he had
passengers in his vehicle at the time.
'Unfair'
Naidoo’s father, Dev said the family is still
devastated by the shooting. He expressed shock that Khuzwayo was given bail and
said the family wants justice to be done.
“My wife collapsed and got sick immediately
when I told her he was granted bail. We are all taking this very badly,” said
Naidoo.
“His [Khuzwayo’s] job is to serve and protect
the people of this country. It is strange that he got bail. This is unfair. The
justice system is failing us.”
Despite being in court when Khuzwayo
appeared, the Naidoo family said they did not realise who he was at the time.
It is understood that Khuzwayo was immediately served with notice that he is to
be suspended from work pending the outcome of the case, but this could not be
confirmed last night by police spokesperson Thulani Zwane, who said Khuzwayo’s
official firearm had been taken away and would be sent for tests.
Khuzwayo has to report to a police station
weekly while on bail. He is due to appear in court on 22 December.
Rights
The DA spokesperson on police, Dianne Kohler-Barnard,
said the policeman has a right to bail and he has to appear in court to answer
to the charges.
“I would suspend him from work, but that is
the Provincial Commissioner’s call in the final analysis,” she said.
Kohler-Barnard said according to the latest
annual report by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, there were
710 criminal cases involving members of the KZN police service in 2013/14.
