Cops accused of killing innocent man

Thulani Njana, who is a brother in law of the deceased they are unable to fork out the costs to bury him in the Eastern Cape.

The community of Site C is up in arms after police allegedly shot and killed Samkelo Njonga two weeks ago during a raid on a local tavern.

Detailing how the horrific incident unfolded, Thulani Njana, brother-in-law of the deceased, said Mr Njonga had been fetching water from a standpipe just a few steps away from the tavern. Mr Njana saw police trying to get into the tarven, and after enquiring from police what they were doing, he said, he was told to mind his own business.

then he heard three gun shots go off, one of them hitting Mr Njonga in his upper body just slightly below his right nipple.

He immediately rushed to Mr Njonga who was bleeding profusely and battling to speak.

A visibly shaken Mr Njana said his brother-in-law died on the way to hospital. “I no longer trust police officers,” said Mr Njana. “I demand answers as to why they shot and killed my brother-in-law. Police officers are meant to protect us not to kill us. My brother-in-law was a decent young person who had a bright future ahead of him. He was not a criminal and had bigger plans. He just started a new job. Police officers have killed an innocent soul,” he said.

He said the family was battling to come to terms with Mr Njonga’s death and don’t know how they will afford to bury him. He said he sells vegetables for a living so did not earn much money.

Communications officer at Khayelitsha police station, Constable Lowellan Arthur West said it is alleged that there was a big crowd of people attacking the police and that shots had been fired, but police were unable to determine where they came from. Thereafter, he said, police allegedly fired a warning shot to disperse the crowd, people retracted and police left the area.

“An attack on police case have been opened. It was later discovered that someone got injured from that earlier group of people and was taken to hospital but passed on. It’s further alleged that the police shot the person.

“The firearms of the police have both been handed in for forensic investigations to determine if one of the policemen’s firearms was the gun that shot and fatally wounded the deceased,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the residents, Thandiswa Tsotso said they were devastated hence they had opted to stage a protest. She said when they accompanied the family to open a case at the station, the service they got was extremely bad and were never assisted properly.

Speaking on behalf of the residents, Thandiswa Tsotso , said police offciers should pay for what they did.

Thulani Njana, who is a brother in law of the deceased they were unable to fork out the costs to bury him in the Eastern Cape SIYAVUYA KHAYA