A metro cop who shot and killed an innocent bystander while in pursuit of other suspects was found guilty of murder on Tuesday.

Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) spokesperson Moses Dlamini said on Wednesday that the high court in Johannesburg found Ekurhuleni metro police department (EMPD) officer Vusi Myeni, 43, guilty on Tuesday for the murder of Sthembiso Tshabalala, 33, on February 18 2017.

SowetanLIVE's sister publication TimesLIVE previously reported that Myeni, in plain clothes, was driving an unmarked Nissan Hardbody bakkie when he approached two occupants of a red VW Golf to ask the driver why he had parked facing oncoming traffic.

“As the driver of the red Golf was driving away, the EMPD officer started chasing after him. The occupants of Golf parked the vehicle at their home and ran out of the vehicle in different directions,” said Dlamini on Wednesday.

Myeni gave chase, stopped behind the Golf, pulled out his gun and shot at the car - but missed. The bullet struck Tshabalala, who was an innocent bystander, in the chest. He died at the scene.

Myeni then left the scene, handed in his gun at Tembisa police station and booked himself into Arwyp hospital in Kempton Park.

Myeni is expected to be sentenced in the Johannesburg high court on July 8.