Traffic officer shoots wife in front of children
Estimated reading time: 4 minute(s)
Former Traffic Officer in Gauteng is set to remain in police custody for two months following the alleged murder of his 33 years old girlfriend.
The 53 years old Zakhele Bennet Hlongwane from Mamelodi failed to convince the court to release him on bail after shooting the 33 years old Tili Desire Ngobeni multiple tines in the early morning hours, 05:00am of April 1st, 2024.
It is said that Hlongwane made his way to the said place where the victim lived with their two children aged 5 and 3 years old, forced entry and began shooting her in their presence.
After the brother of the deceased heard the gunshots, he came out of his room and the accused pointed at him with a firearm. An hour later, Hlongwane handed himself over to the Mamelodi Police Station and has been in custody since.
In trying to convince Magistrate Mlombo in court for him to be released on bail, he said the court should take into consideration that he had the opportunity to escape immediately after committing the crime but he chose to corporate and hand himself over to the police.
He also said that he needed to take care of his 15-year-old daughter and feared that his place of residence would continue being vandalized by criminals.
However, state prosecutor Tshilidzi Mugeri opposed the bail application saying that his release might compromise the safety of the witnesses since they are known to him.
The matter has been postponed to 18 September 2024 for further investigations.
