Wits killing: four cops arrested

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) announced yesterday it arrested four police officers in connection with the death of bystander Mthokozisi Ntumba during student protests at Wits University in Johannesburg last week.

The police watchdog’s spokeswoman, Ndileka Cola, said the officers were from the Public Order Policing Unit.

“The four officers will appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday,” said Cola.

“They are facing charges of murder, attempted murder and defeating the ends of justice.”

Ntumba was shot and killed in Braamfontein last Wednesday morning, allegedly by police dispersing protesting students from the University of the Witwatersrand.

He had just come out of a doctor’s consulting rooms.

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday said he was disturbed by Ntumba’s death.

He said that the response by the police “did not warrant the type of resistance and push” that was used.

Ipid said it was working around the clock processing “voluminous evidence gathered earlier on Wednesday at the crime scene during the preliminary investigation”.

Cola said the directorate was confident of a watertight case. “We managed to collect numerous witness statements and confiscate firearms, which will be taken for ballistic analysis,” she said.

“A postmortem to determine the actual cause of death will be conducted later this week.”

The four officers are facing charges of murder, attempted murder and defeating the ends of justice.

Ndileka Cola

Ipid spokeswoman