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Traffic cop arrested for cricket shooting

A cricket official was shot and killed during the incident. The officer involved was also injured and admitted into hospital

A prominent cricket official was shot dead by a traffic officer outside Newlands Stadium on Wednesday, Western Cape police said.

“A 49-year-old male identified a Luke Fairweather of Mowbray was  wounded in the stomach during an altercation with a traffic official in Mariendhal Road, Claremont,” Colonel Andre Traut told Sapa.

“The victim was approached by the traffic official for an alleged traffic violation when the altercation ensued.”   

Fairweather was wounded and later died.

The officer was also injured and admitted into hospital.

Traut said the officer was later arrested for murder and would appear in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court soon.

The Western Province Cricket Association (WPCA) earlier said the  incident took place during a test match between South Africa and India.

The association’s CEO Andre Odendaal said Fairweather, who was an official of Alma Marist CC and who managed a Western Province underage team, had been a guest in the President’s Suite at Sahara Park.

“This news defies belief and the cricket fraternity is in deep shock,” WPCA president Mohamed Ebrahim said. The organisation sent its condolences to the family.

Omar Henry, CEO of Boland Cricket, said he was fortunate to have  played alongside Fairweather.     

“It’s sad to see anybody die in the way he did. I was fortunate  to have played cricket with and against him as a youngster.

“He had a lot of passion for the game and always wanted to learn  more. It was obvious how much he loved the game.”

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