AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER
A South African former police officer who shot, killed a father and wounded his three children during a scuffle that ensued during an enforcement of COVID-19 regulations, has been convicted of murder.
Siphiwe George Ndlovu, who used a gun belonging to an Ekurhuleni Metro Police (EMPD) Officer who was under attack by community members, and shot and killed Sibusiso Amos, in Vosloorus, on the East Rand, now awaits sentencing after he was found guilty of murder, three counts of attempted murder and unlawful possession of a firearm as well as ammunition.
According to the National Prosecutions Authority (NPA), Amos was shot inside the yard of his home after an argument broke out between him and the EMPD officers who were chasing patrons from a nearby tavern. The incident took place in March 2020, when South Africa was under Lockdown Level 5 following the outbreak of COVID-19. The three children who were in the house were injured during the shooting.
“Amos was shot at close range by live ammunition while standing behind a locked burglar gate. The bullet was fired from oe of the EMPD officers’ shot guns. Ndlovu told the court that he picked up the gun soon after the officer fell down following an attack from members of the community. He then saw a scuffle inside the yard between Amos and EMPD officers. He approached and fired shots towards Amos to scare him off in order to stop the scuffle.
“The state advocate Rolene Barnard, argued that Ndlovu was a former police officer, knowledgeable about gun handling and precautionary measures to take when using guns. She asked the court to consider that Amos was shot at the sancity of his own home, unarmed and without provocation. The court rejected Ndlovu’s evidence as highly improbable and accepted the evidence by state witnesses,” said the NPA’s Phindi Mjonondwane.
The matter was postponed to June 29 for arguments in mitigation and aggravation of sentence.
