KEY POINTS
- Eastern Cape officer sentenced to 15 years for murdering a man after a tavern dispute.
- Western Cape officer found guilty after killing his wife’s sister and injuring nine others.
- Authorities continue cracking down on police misconduct and criminal behavior.
An Eastern Cape police officer has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after being found guilty of murder. Constable Amanda Masiso, 34, was convicted for fatally shooting 32-year-old Thamsanqa Jamani following a heated argument at a tavern on November 12, 2021.
According to Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) spokesperson Lizzy Suping, the two were drinking together when a dispute broke out.
Masiso later claimed he found Jamani lying in a pool of blood on the street and took him to the hospital.
However, Ipid investigators uncovered the truth, revealing that Masiso was the one who pulled the trigger.
Evidence showed that after shooting Jamani, Masiso retrieved the bullet cartridges and disposed of them in a pit toilet in an attempt to cover up the crime.
Masiso was charged with murder and defeating the ends of justice.
He was found guilty by the Sterkspruit Magistrate’s Court in the Eastern Cape and received a 15-year prison sentence.
Another officer convicted in western cape murder case
In an unrelated case, another police officer, Constable Bonani Nkonzo, was found guilty of murder after a shooting rampage at his home in the Western Cape.
The tragic incident occurred on October 28, 2018, during a children’s party at Nkonzo’s residence.
According to Suping, Nkonzo returned home in a rage and opened fire, killing his wife’s sister and injuring nine others, including a nine-year-old child.
“He started shooting randomly while walking into each room. His wife’s sister was killed, while his wife survived despite being shot in the head,” Suping said.
Nkonzo was arrested on the same day, and a thorough investigation followed. He is scheduled to be sentenced in the Western Cape High Court on March 5, 2025.
Justice system cracks down on police misconduct
These two cases have raised concerns over police misconduct and the abuse of power.
According to IOL, law enforcement agencies and oversight bodies such as IPID continue to hold officers accountable for criminal behavior.
“The justice system is committed to ensuring that law enforcement officers are not above the law,” Suping emphasized.
Both Masiso and Nkonzo’s convictions serve as a warning to police officers that abusing their power will have severe consequences.
