Off-duty cop ‘killed by group’ for shooting tavern patron

An off-duty police officer was allegedly killed by a group of four people after he shot a patron at a tavern in the Eastern Cape.

The warrant officer, 51, worked at the Mthatha static police unit based at the Nelson Mandela homestead.

According to the Hawks, the warrant officer was off-duty when he went to the Philakuzenzela tavern in Ntshigo, Tsolo on Saturday.

He allegedly got into a heated argument with a patron at the tavern, said police spokesperson W/O Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana.

“The argument is said to have culminated in the police officer shooting and injuring the patron he had an argument with,” Mhlakuvana said.

Having shot the patron, the police officer fled the scene. This led to a chase by members of the community, he said.

The officer was caught not far from the tavern and the group managed to disarm him.

Four suspects allegedly stoned and killed the police officer at the scene.

“ The service firearm was found and seized with empty cartridges and a big stone at the scene,” Mhlakuvana said.

The Mthatha Hawks unit has arrested four suspects aged between 27 and 35.

Mhlakuvana said the names of the suspects and the slain police officer would only be disclosed once they have made their first appearance before the Tsolo magistrate's court on Monday.

“As far as we know, the patron shot by the police officer is alive.”

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