A police officer charged with murder after handing himself over to police for allegedly shooting his wife, was granted R3 000 bail in the Grahamstown Magistrate's Court on Friday 16 January.
A police officer charged with murder after handing himself over to police for allegedly shooting his wife, was granted R3 000 bail in the Grahamstown Magistrate's Court on Friday 16 January.
The police officer, who is based in the Bisho Protection and Security Services Unit, faces murder charges.
State prosecutor Asanda Koliti told the court the state was not opposing the man's bail application on Friday.
Koliti said the police officer had no previous convictions or pending cases, adding that he had cooperated with the police by handing himself over.
Koliti said the family of the dead woman was not opposed to the man's release on bail. He said the state would recommend bail be fixed at R3 000.
The man's attorney accepted the R3 000 amount suggested by the state. In the plea statement the man's attorney said the officer is a sergeant in the South African Police Services in Bisho.
He is a former member of the South African Defence Force and previously a member of the ANC's military wing Umkhonto weSizwe.
The officer's current employer (SAPS) is aware that he was in custody, according to his lawyer.
He would resume his duties after he is granted bail, the lawyer said. He intends to plead not guilty to the murder charges.
The attorney confirmed that the police officer was married to the dead woman.
His late wife owned property, of which he is part owner as a result of their marriage. He also owns a car and property in King William's Town and in Alice.
Stunned community members watched on in shock as police removed a dead woman's body from the Fingo VIllage house on Friday 9 January.
Grahamstown police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender said a uniformed police officer was stopped by a resident, who said they had heard gun shots that Friday.
The person also told the police they had heard a woman screaming, around the time of the gunshots. Govender said an unknown man had fled the scene just as the police officer and his partner arrived at the house in Victoria Road, Fingo Village.
An ambulance was called to the scene and the woman was certified dead. Sources close to the case have told Grocott's Mail that the man found his wife in his house with another man on Friday, 9 January and handed himself over to police shortly afterwards.
Relatives of the dead woman in Victoria Road refused to speak to Grocott's Mail earlier this week, indicating that the two people were involved were married and they felt uncomfortable discussing the matter in the media.
The case was postponed to 10 March for further investigation.
