Phadagi to stage summit on police killings

Date: 22 July 2011 By: Ndivhuwo Musetha

The Department of Safety, Security and Liaison will stage a summit on Police Killings.

This was revealed by MEC George Phadagi on Sunday, following the killing of Lt Col Dimpe Joseph Mokabane (49), of Glen Cowie-New Stand in Nebo. Phadagi said the summit would be held soon in order to pave the way on how to curb the killings of men and women in blue.

According to police spokesperson Lt Col Mohale Ramatseba from the provincial office, Mokabane was shot and killed in Motetema on Saturday morning at about 01:00. "Mokabane was found in the middle of the road between Maserumule Park and Mamphokgo in the Motetema area, outside Polokwane. He was allegedly shot and killed. His attackers left him in the middle of the road, where he was also driven over by passing vehicles," said Ramatseba.

Mokabane, who was attached to the Groblersdal Cluster Commander`s office, was in uniform when he was attacked. He was on his way home from a crime prevention operation, which had been conducted around Groblersdal. His official vehicle was found next to the road.

The acting provincial commissioner, Maj Gen Benny Ntlemeza, has established a Task Team to investigate the murder. Maj Gen Dibero Molatjana, the deputy provincial commissioner responsible for the directorate of priority crime investigations, will lead the task team.

Mokabane`s service pistol has been recovered and a suspect was held for questioning with regard to the recovered fire arm.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is requested to contact Colonel Nelson Mabotja of the Organized Crime at 082 451 7161.

Phadagi, accompanied by Deputy-Provincial Commissioner Major General Celiwe Binta, visited the bereaved family. He extended the Limpopo government`s condolences to the family and reiterated that the police would not rest until the perpetrators had been brought to book.

The murder of Mokabane has now brought the number of police officers murdered in Limpopo this year to two. On April 13 this year, Warrant Officer Jan Matseke(48) of Burgersfort Public Order Police was shot and killed in Mankweng while trying to assist a woman who was being robbed. He was walking in the Toronto section in Mankweng at about 18:45 when he saw a woman struggling with an attacker. The off-duty officer tried to come to the woman`s rescue, but he was shot in the hip.

He was rushed to the Mankweng Hospital, where he later passed away.

Meanwhile, two people who were accused of being responsible for the death of Captain Masango in Magatle in June 2009 were sentenced by the Polokwane High Court on Friday. The two, Kedibone Kekana (26) and Jacob Leolo (29), were offered a lift by Masango. He was later shot to death and his car was taken.

The two were each sentenced to 20 years´ imprisonment for murder and another 10 years each for robbery.

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