Investigations continue in Phoenix hit and run incident

Investigations into a hit and run incident involving a vehicle attached to the SAPS Royal Protection Services at the weekend, are continuing.

Police earlier confirmed the officer to whom the vehicle was assigned took his own life. Twenty-six-year-old Phumla Mtshali died when she was knocked down allegedly by the police vehicle as she was walking along Phoenix Highway.

Provincial police commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi says the 48-year-old sergeant, who allegedly failed to stop at the scene and who later reported the vehicle stolen, apparently took his own life rather than be arrested.

Leads the police are following up on include cellphone records.

Police spokesperson, Robert Netshiunda, “The driver of the vehicle failed to stop at the accident scene. However, it was reported that there was a person who went to the scene to pick up a friend’s registration plate which fell off the vehicle during the incident. Shortly after, a case of culpable homicide case was registered at Phoenix police station. A sergeant, the last person to be in possession of the state vehicle in question, went to the same police station to open a case of theft of motor vehicle. The vehicle was later found abandoned at the sugarcane fields on Saturday morning.”

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