Hit & run policeman commits suicide

UMHLANGA – A Policeman who fled the scene of an accident which resulted in the death of 26 year old Phumla Mtshali has committed suicide at a hotel in Umhlanga Rocks this morning (Monday).

During the early hours of Friday, a black Toyota Fortuner ran over Mtshali on Phoenix Highway in Phoenix. The driver sped off without assisting the critically injured pedestrian. A registration plate belonging to the vehicle was recovered at the scene but was removed from the scene by an unknown person minutes later.

RUSA received a call from a farmer hours after the incident reporting a suspicious vehicle on his property. Reaction Officers proceeded to the area in Canelands and located an accident damaged black Toyota Fortuner. The registration plates were missing. The vehicle was fitted with blue emergency lights.

Reaction Officers conducted a vehicle ownership check with details from the license disk and it was confirmed that the vehicle belonged to the South African Police Service. It was reported stolen at the Phoenix SAPS on Friday. It was later established that it was the same vehicle that was being sought for a hit & run accident that claimed the life of Mtshali. Her family believed that the Policeman reported the vehicle stolen in an attempt to manipulate the investigation.

RUSA has received confirmation that a Warrant Officer from the South African Police Service (SAPS) was being sought for arrest for the Culpable Homicide of the mother of two (2) children. He allegedly made telephonic contact with several of his family members before he took his own life at a hotel in Umhlanga (details of hotel withheld). Further details are being withheld for privacy reasons.