S’African court remands four cops for Nigerian motorist killing

A South African court on Thursday remanded four National Traffic Police officers accused of killing a Nigerian motorist, Osinakachukwu Onu.

PUNCH Metro learnt on Sunday, from a report by South African news outlet Independent Online, that the officers were denied bail by the Klerksdorp Magistrates’ Court.

The officers were identified as Inspector Rudolph Foromo, 29; Inspector Smanga Dladla, 31; Inspector Colani Senzo Dlamini, 34; and Inspector Vusumuzi Justice Simelane, 36.

Onu, who was reportedly in South Africa legally, was said to have been chased by the four traffic officers while they were conducting an operation.

Although the exact circumstances surrounding the shooting were detailed in the report, the officers were believed to have been on official duty at the time of the incident.

The suspects allegedly fled the scene shortly after the shooting but were later tracked down and arrested by police.

An IOL report, earlier carried by PUNCH Metro on Friday, disclosed that Klerksdorp detectives arrested the four officers on charges of murder and defeating the ends of justice following the death of the 37-year-old Nigerian.

According to the report, police said they were alerted to the incident and responded to the scene, where they discovered that the traffic officers involved had already left.

“Preliminary investigations led detectives to a location in Klerksdorp, where the suspects were traced,” the police said.

The officers’ official firearms were seized and are expected to undergo forensic ballistic analysis as part of ongoing investigations.

Meanwhile, the North West Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Ryno Naidoo, welcomed the arrests and commended Klerksdorp detectives for what he described as a “swift and effective response.”

He also thanked members of the public who provided information that aided the arrests and urged communities to continue cooperating with law enforcement to combat crime.

The killing adds to a growing list of reported cases of Nigerians being killed in South Africa.

In July, PUNCH Metro reported the brutal killing of two Nigerians, identified simply as Austin and Ayo, who were shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Durban.

The incident reportedly occurred on Thursday, July 9, when three masked gunmen stormed Austin’s office at about 8 pm and shot the two men dead on the spot.