Cop jailed for murders

The KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Ramsgate has convicted and sentenced a police officer to 25 years’ imprisonment for two counts of murder.

Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) spokesperson Moses Dlamini said Warrant Officer Patrick Gosling was convicted and sentenced on Friday for the two murders, which occurred in 2014.

“Both cases, although they happened separately, were investigated by the Ipid and were linked through the modus operandi of the convicted policeman. Gosling, who was based at Port Shepstone Saps, was sentenced to 10 years’ and 15 years’ imprisonment, respectively, for each count of murder,” Dlamini said.

Dlamini said that on August 13, 2014, Gosling shot and killed 26-year-old Mlondi Ngcobo at the Margate taxi rank.

“Gosling alleged that he was busy with a crime prevention operation at the taxi rank. He alleged that Ngcobo had run away and that after he chased him, Ngcobo had come at the policeman with a knife, threatening to stab him. The policeman then fired at the deceased, hitting him in the abdomen. Ngcobo died as a result of the police shooting,” said Dlamini.

In the second incident, on December 21, 2014, Gosling shot and killed 29-year-old Michael Zakhele Ndovela, of the Nyandezulu area. This killing took place at Port Shepstone taxi rank.

“Gosling raised a similar defence that Ndovela had attacked him with a knife,” Dlamini said.

“On both matters, he alleged he wanted to arrest the suspects because he suspected them of dealing with drugs and they had attacked him during the arrest.”

Dlamini said both matters were investigated by Ipid, which made recommendations for Gosling to be prosecuted for murder.

“Warrant Office Gosling was then arrested by Ipid on June 6, 2015 for two counts of murder.”

The sentences imposed on Gosling will run concurrently.

Dlamini said that during the trial, it was further established that Gosling had allegedly committed other crimes of a similar nature where he had shot and killed suspects on the south coast, in areas such as Port Shepstone, Murchison, Margate and Harding. This will be investigated.

“Ipid commends its investigator for a thorough investigation which uncovered a disturbing pattern of criminality by a police officer,” Dlamini said. – ANA

On both matters he alleged he wanted to arrest the suspects because he suspected them of dealing with drugs and they had attacked him.

Moses Dlamini Ipid spokesperson