DURBAN: The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) has arrested three Durban NIU (National Intervention Unit) police officers for murder.
Today, Ipid said Warrant Officer Senzo German Sosibo, Sergeant Mzikayise Kala and Sergeant Sivuyile Vusi Ngodwana appeared in the Mahlabatini Court yesterday on a charge of murder.
Spokesperson Grace Langa said the trio were arrested for the 2018 murder of Mtholeni Ntsele, 44, from the Okhukho area in Mahlabathini.
Langa said it was alleged that police officials from the National Intervention Unit in Durban had gone to Ntsele’s home in the Mahlabathini area to look for unlicensed firearms on February 2, 2018.
They had entered the property and found family members sleeping in different houses.
It is alleged that when the officers had gone inside the houses, they had found that there were people inside and they prevented them from leaving the home, while others went into the house where the deceased was sleeping.
Langa said it was alleged that two family members who had been prevented from leaving the first home heard noises and the deceased crying in the other house for some time.
“It is alleged that after a while, the noise died down and one police vehicle was then seen reversing into the yard. It is alleged that the deceased was then loaded into the back of the bakkie an the bakkie left with him,” she said.
Later that day, a police officer had come to inform the family that Ntsele had died.
“The matter was brought to the attention of Ipid. We investigated the matter and arrested the officers yesterday,” she said.
The court granted each of the accused R2 000 bail. The case has been remanded to November 3, 2021.
THE MERCURY