Gun company employee appears in court over policeman’s death

The man alleged to have shot a public order policeman, Const Thabani Gwala, made a brief appearance in the Pietermaritzburg magistrate’s court on Tuesday.

Asad Hanif Ramjan, 29, was arrested at the scene of a shooting in Oribi Road, Bisley, on Monday.

Ramjan, who works for a gun company, had a swollen face with a plaster above his eyebrow.

His attorney Ashraf Mahomed told the court he planned to apply for bail.

When asked by court magistrate Padmini Chetty if he had previous convictions or pending cases, Ramjan told the court that he had none.

Prosecutor Sipho Thwala said the state would oppose bail citing his safety and that of the witnesses.

Gwala’s colleagues from the SAPS Pietermaritzburg public order unit were in court and the case was adjourned until Tuesday.

Mahomed later told TimesLIVE that he couldn’t elaborate further on the shooting.

“I ask that you arrive back in court on Tuesday. At this stage there is nothing that I can share. What has happened is really unfortunate,” he said.

Gwala’s uncle Nick, who was also in court, said the funeral arrangements had yet to be finalised.

TimesLIVE