Limpopo cops arrested after man dies in custody

22 June 2023 - 16:01
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Charges against two Limpopo police officers are related to the assault and death of Lucky Tshikhwama, who died in the Mogwadi police cells on June 6. File photo
Charges against two Limpopo police officers are related to the assault and death of Lucky Tshikhwama, who died in the Mogwadi police cells on June 6. File photo
Image: Esa Alexander

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) has arrested two sergeants, aged 38 and 49, attached to the Mogwadi police station in Limpopo.

According to Robbie Raburabu, Ipid's national spokesperson, the charges against the members are related to the assault and death of Lucky Tshikhwama, who died in the Mogwadi police cells on June 6.

“They will appear in Mogwadi periodic court on charges of murder, assault GBH and defeating the course of justice on Monday June 26,” said Raburabu. 

Meanwhile, Ipid announced the conclusion of a case from seven years ago involving two constables attached to the Springs police station.

“The incident happened on 21 August 2016 when the police who attended to a disturbance complaint took their 43-year-old complainant with them to the police station. While being returned home, she was raped. Constables Jabulani Raymond Nkwinika, 39, and Nkopodi Alex Kgalema, 44, were charged with kidnapping and rape.

“On March 28, Nkwinika was acquitted of all charges while Kgalema was only acquitted on kidnapping but convicted of rape.

“On June 19, constable Kgalema was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for rape by the Springs regional court and he has also been declared unfit to possess a firearm,” said Raburabu.

Both members had been acquitted in an internal disciplinary hearing in 2017 regarding the same matter after Ipid recommended that they be subjected to the disciplinary hearing, he added.

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