Police officer claims accidental shot killed his wife

A warrant officer in the South African Police Service (Saps) has been arrested for shooting his wife dead in Meredale, Johannesburg, police watchdog Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) said yesterday.

He was scheduled to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

“It is alleged that the suspect, who is a member of Vispol at Eldorado Saps, arrived home at 8.30pm on Friday to find his wife and a neighbour at his home in Meredale drinking [alcohol]. He apparently asked her why she was drunk as she was a Christian and she said she also wanted to be happy,” said Ipid spokesperson Moses Dlamini.

He said the man joined them in drinking. Apparently, he then got a phone call and argued with his wife about the identity of the female caller. The wife got angry and threw his phone on the floor and told him to leave the house.

The policeman alleged his wife attacked him with a knife and during a struggle a shot was accidentally discharged, which hit her in the upper neck. He said he phoned for an ambulance but she was dead when paramedics arrived. – ANA