The Independent Police Investigative Directive (Ipid) is probing an incident where a Mpumalanga police officer allegedly shot a man at a tavern then dumped his body on a playing field adjacent to a police station.

Spokesperson Grace Langa said the incident was reported to Ipid by a captain from the Sterkspruit police station.

It is alleged the off-duty police officer went to the station and initially reported that he had found a dead man on the adjacent field.

“On arrival, the members noticed that the deceased had a gunshot wound.”

Langa said the police officer was questioned by the captain about the whereabouts of his firearm, which he said was with his mother.

“Police went to his home and on arrival they requested his mother to give them the firearm.

“His mother told them that she was not given a firearm by his son. The firearm was subsequently found in his room underneath the pillow.

“He then told the captain that he shot the deceased at the tavern and he rushed him to hospital where the nurses refused to take him as he was already dead. He then dumped the deceased's body on the field.”

Langa said the policeman was arrested immediately and was taken to hospital by Ipid investigators to establish whether he had consumed alcohol at the tavern.

The police officer is expected to appear in court on Monday.

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