Anger after court grants bail to police officer

THE FAMILY of the student who was allegedly shot and killed by a policeman in umlazi has accused the State of giving the suspect special treatment because he is an officer.

Warrant Officer Enock Myeni was granted bail of R2000 during his first appearance yesterday in the umlazi Magistrate’s Court. The case was postponed to February 17.

Myeni, who is based at the Public Order Police Unit camp in Mariannhill, is accused of killing University of Zululand student, Mfundo Phungula, on Monday morning after Phungula had an argument with Myeni’s girlfriend over a beer.

The girlfriend owns a tavern at the Uganda informal settlement next to the Mangosuthu University of Technology in umlazi. The accused also faces two counts of pointing a firearm at Phungula and Seluleko Hlengwa, who was with Phungula.

During the bail hearing, Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) investigating officer Mthandeni Khoza told the court that Phungula had assaulted the officer’s girlfriend and had a knife. He said he was not opposed to bail because Myeni called the police and informed them about the incident, saying that he had also co-operated.

Magistrate Nosipho Cele, in granting bail, said she had considered the State and Ipid’s evidence that the suspect was not a flight risk since he was permanently employed by the law enforcement agency and also had a fixed asset, a house, which he could not abandon easily.

Phungula’s uncle, Nkosikhona Mkhize, said outside court that the family were disappointed at the manner in which the State treated the accused, saying he was given special treatment because he was a police officer.

“We are disappointed. This was all a cover-up for the police so that they turn this murder into self-defence.”

Senzo Dladla, who led a group of protesters outside the court for bail to be refused, said there were a lot of things the State overlooked because the suspect was a police officer.

Dladla had to calm the group which threatened to block the road.