Cops refuse to cooperate with watchdog's probe into colleague's shooting

20 January 2017 - 08:29 By JAN BORNMAN
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Constable Tshepo Tladi whose death was caught on CCTV footage in Katlehong, on the East Rand. File photo
Constable Tshepo Tladi whose death was caught on CCTV footage in Katlehong, on the East Rand. File photo
Image: SUPPLIED

The investigation into the shooting of Katlehong policeman Constable Tshepo Tladi has been hampered by the police's unwillingness to co-operate with the police watchdog.

This is according to a source close to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate.

"What I can tell you is they are not co-operating. They were supposed to hand over the video footage, but they gave our investigators two empty memory sticks," the source said.

The Times has also learnt that the police officer responsible for Tladi's shooting is in hospital.

"The guy that is responsible for the shooting is in hospital. He was not coping," said SA Police Union president Mpho Kwinika.

  • Cop’s controversial killing leaves ‘bitter taste’ among community and colleaguesThe killing of Constable Tshepo Tladi has left a bitter taste among the community of Katlehong and the South African Police Service.

He confirmed the other police officers who were at the scene, and who are suspected of tampering with the scene and failing to report the incident to their superiors, were still clocking in at work.

Tladi, 34, a father of a two-year-old, responded to an armed robbery last week. He was shot in the back of the head at close range.

Initial reports claimed Tladi had been "ambushed" by "heavily armed criminals", but CCTV footage obtained by The Times revealed Tladi might have been shot by a colleague.

In the footage, Tladi's colleagues appear to tamper with the scene.

  • SA’s top cop ‘shocked and disturbed’ by video showing apparent SAPS shooting cover-upThe South African Police Service (SAPS) on Tuesday said it had sanctioned both misconduct and criminal investigations following the fatal shooting of Constable Tshepo Tladi in Katlehong last week Thursday.

Acting national police commissioner Lieutenant General Khomotso Phahlane said: "Should there be evidence to prove that police members tampered with the scene or that there was any type of a cover-up, there will certainly be judicial consequences."

National police spokesman Brigadier Sally de Beer deniedthe police had not been co-operating with the investigation.

"The SAPS has stated that we will collaborate with Ipid on the criminal investigation and co-operation is taking place," she said.

"We also stated that we will conduct an internal investigation and that, too, is under way."

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