Durban - A 34-year-old police officer in KwaZulu-Natal was sentenced to 33 years’ imprisonment for murder and attempted murder by the Mtubatuba Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
Lindani Liberty Ngobese, 34, was a member of the South African Police Service’s National Intervention Unit in Durban at the time he committed the crimes in December 2018.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority’s regional spokesperson Natasha Kara, Ngobese was attending a wedding in the Mnqobokazi area in Hluhluwe, northern KZN, when an argument broke out between Ngobese and a group of men.
Ngobese, using his SAPS service pistol, fired several shots at the men, killing two of them and injuring two more.
“Ngobese turned himself in at the Hluhluwe police station,” said Kara.
Director of public prosecutions in KZN, advocate Elaine Zungu, said Ngobese’s violent behaviour was unnecessary and unwarranted.
“Also, society looks at police officials for safety and protection. Instead, the accused was responsible for the loss of innocent lives,” Zungu added.
Regional court prosecutor Thabsile Ncanana led the testimonies of thetwo victims, eyewitnesses and police officials who attended the scene of the crime.
Ngobese told the court the had acted in self-defence.
Kara said that to strengthen the State’s case against Ngobese, victim impact statements were compiled by both the victims and families of the deceased and presented to the court.
ANA