'Execution' officers feel hurt about their treatment - union

The officers arrested in connection with the killing of Khulekani Mpanza felt hurt about the way they are being treated following the incident, the SA Policing Union said on Tuesday.

"They are feeling very bad. They are feeling hurt about the treatment they are receiving," said Peter Ntsine, Sapu's Gauteng deputy chairperson.

He was speaking outside the Krugersdorp Magistrate's Court where the four officers had just appeared.

One of the officers, the only female in the group, Dipuo Chipe, was charged with defeating the ends of justice, while the other three faced an additional charge of murder.

Chipe was granted R5 000 bail, while the other officers were scheduled to apply for bail next week.

Scores of police officers dressed in civillian clothing came in support of the four officers who were arrested on Monday following an investigation by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate.

Ntsine, however, accused the SA Police Service of failing officers in their time of need.

"As Sapu, we would have loved the management of the SA Police Service to have been on board and support the members," said Ntsine.

Police spokesperson Colonel Noxolo Kweza said they were not going to comment on a pending matter.

Since their arrest, SAPS had also said served the four officers with notices of suspension.

Sapu, however, was throwing its entire weight behind the officers.

We don't know full story - Sapu

While a video of the officers apparently chasing the suspect and shooting him dead after he was disarmed had caused great debate, Ntsine said the public did not have the whole story.

"We have seen the footage, but that is not the whole thing that is there... The footage that I have seen has been stated to have been edited," said Ntsine.

Meanwhile, colleagues and relatives of the accused on Tuesday clashed with some members of the media, accusing them of vilifying the officers.

Ntsine said they did not have answers about the true story behind the incident.

"We know... a robbery [was] committed. We know that the police officers reacted and attended to the scene. We cannot comment on the video," he said.

The three officers, who remained behind bars, had initially been kept at the Krugersdorp police station, the same station where they had been based.

The court, however, ordered that they be moved to the Roodepoort police station.

They would return to court on November 10 for their formal bail application.

Source News 24