A 38-year-old police sergeant who was arrested for allegedly shooting a man six times during what was initially thought to be a business robbery, has been released on R1,000 bail.
West Coast Flying Squad Sergeant Jasper Coetzee was arrested by the The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) for the murder that took place on December 28,2022.
IPID spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said it is alleged on the day of the incident, police members from Citrusdal and Flying Squad responded to a possible business robbery at the Top Dog Liquor store.
“The deceased, Justin Zivengwa, was sitting in the manager's office drinking alcohol.
“According to police members, Zivengwa allegedly became aggressive and approached them with a corkscrew.
“Sergeant Coetzee allegedly shot Zivengwa multiple times.
Shuping said during the investigations, it was found that there was no business robbery, and the deceased was shot six times.
“The docket was handed to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and the DPP instructed that Sergeant Coetzee must be charged for murder of Zivengwa.”
Coetzee made his first appearance in the Citrusdal Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
He was ordered to appear in court on March 14.
Last week, Warrant Officer Chris Cassius Caster was sentenced to three years direct imprisonment for accepting a bribe.
Caster was sentenced in Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court after being found guilty of accepting a R650 gratification in exchange for not instituting a warrant of arrest.
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