Durban - In the space of eight months, a Durban policeman with 22 years’ experience has been charged three times for three different attempted murders.
In the most recent matter, he was out on bail at the time.
The Durban Regional Court heard on Tuesday how Captain Larry Heslop, 44, a suspended police officer from the Durban Central police station, tried to avoid arrest by hiding in his girlfriend’s outbuilding. His girlfriend, the court heard, was also a police officer.
Heslop is accused of shooting Michael Bruce, 39, who had driven to a petrol station in Austerville Drive to buy cigarettes earlier this month.
It is alleged Bruce had driven towards an empty parking space, but Heslop arrived from another entrance and moved to take the same spot. An argument ensued and Bruce was shot.
On Tuesday, prosecutor Kuveshni Pillay read out the Hawks’ investigating officer, Lieutenant Muntomuhle Mbhele’s affidavit opposing bail.
The first charge is a Wentworth matter where it is alleged Heslop opened fire on people standing near their flat.
In the second case, Heslop is alleged to have shot Vernon Majority at a Wentworth nightclub using a stolen firearm later found in his room.
Mbhele claimed Heslop had run away when police raided the building where he was staying by escaping through a back window.
The investigating officer said he was awaiting the DNA report to link the stolen gun to Heslop and said he had retrieved video footage from the nightclub showing Heslop forcing his way into the club with a chrome firearm similar to the one police had found in the raid.
In the current matter, Mbhele said Bruce had suffered serious injuries and was, at one stage, in intensive care.
According to his affidavit, Heslop knew Bruce and that at the time he was shot, Bruce had a passenger with him. There was also an independent witness, Mbhele said.
Mbhele said Heslop initially claimed he had acted in self-defence, but had remained silent when asked if he had used a gun.
Mbhele said police management had confiscated Heslop’s service pistol “because of the many outstanding violent crimes being investigated against him”.
Describing Heslop’s recent arrest, Mbhele said Heslop was aware police were looking for him, but decided to spend the night with his girlfriend, who initially told police she was in Newlands East and not at her home in Merebank. When police went to her outbuilding, they found Heslop sitting on the edge of the bed, ready to leave.
Also parked at this address, was the VW Polo Heslop allegedly drove at the time of the shooting. Police are investigating if it is a stolen vehicle.
According to Heslop’s affidavit, read out to the court by his attorney Ridewaan Sayed, he intends pleading not guilty to all the charges.
Heslop is currently in isolation at Westville Prison.
His bail application was rolled over to Wednesday.
Daily News