Tokoloho Thoahlane

Tokoloho Thoahlane

A pregnant woman from Naturena, south of Johannesburg, claims the police are dragging their feet in investigating a case involving a senior officer who allegedly fired shots at her without any provocation.

Ntshebo Mohali, 24, who is three months pregnant, said she suspected that the police's reluctance stems from the fact that the officer, a captain, was "one of their own".

Mohali said she and her friend Sifiso Mbense, 23, were shot at by the policeman when they went to a social function at New Canada dam last Thursday.

"A policeman in plain clothes fired more than five shots at us without any provocation," said Mohali.

She said the officer, known as Captain Bee Duma, emerged from his white Isuzu van and started shooting at them.

"We were horrified. We jumped out of our car and fled towards a construction site nearby," she said.

"We thought we were being hijacked."

The policeman allegedly chased them and continued firing shots.

Mohali said a construction worker identified the alleged shooter as an officer from the Orlando police station.

Mbense said: "He caught up with us at the site and he introduced himself as a policeman."

He alleged that the officer told them not to waste their time opening a case because it would be dismissed.

Mohali complained that the investigating officer last spoke to her on Friday.

Orlando police spokesman Captain Nomvula Mbense said: "Once the investigation is complete the investigating officer will hand the docket over to the directorate for public prosecutions for a decision."

Independent Complaints Directorate spokesman Dikeledi Phiri urged Mohali and Sifiso Mbense to lodge a complaint with the watchdog body, which would be followed up.