Lee-Anne Britz sobbed throughout the lengthy judgement read out against five men accused of killing her husband in the Western Cape high court on Wednesday
GENOCIDE VICTIM: MURDERED: Afrikaner warrant officer Steven Britz.
The accused allegedly stormed the Klapmuts police station in April and opened fire, killing Warrant Officer Steven Britz before stealing several firearms
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Judge Gayaat Salie-Hlophe convicted former police officer Luvuyo Ndevu and Mlindi Baliso of premeditated murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances following the shooting death of 44-year-old warrant officer Steven Britz inside the Klapmuts police station charge office in April 2014...
Video: The funeral of murdered Afrikaner warrant officer Steven Britz: Britz was gunned down while manning the Klapmuts police station charge office alone on the night of April 16, 2014. Post mortem reports showed he had been shot twice in the head.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Hawks #sapsWC last night arrested 10 suspects for the murder of W/O Steven Britz, incl a detective constable from Klapmuts SAPS (SD)— SA Police Service (@SAPoliceService) 19 April 2014
Ex-cop guilty of Klapmuts police officer’s murder
However, Anele Phantsi, Khayelethu Waka and Buhlani Phukwana were acquitted of all the charges against them.
A visibly shocked Lee-Anne Britz left the high court, too emotional to speak to African News Agency (ANA).
Her niece, Chantal Meyer, told ANA her aunt was extremely traumatised and had opted to sit in the public gallery above the accused so that she could “avoid being face to face with them”.
“She is very upset that accused 2, 3 and 5 got off. They are going through a very tough time at home,” Meyer said.
Meyer said Britz’s two sons, 21-year-old Michael and 13-year-old Matthew were not coping.
“My little cousin Matthew, he’s doing very badly. He’s struggling.”
Meyer said the family had received police trauma counselling, but that “could not bring Steven back”.
Earlier Judge Gayaat Salie-Hlophe acquitted Ndevu and Baliso of the charges of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition as she said she could not be certain which of them had fired the fateful shots.
Proceedings were halted for several minutes when Ndevu fainted dramatically, hitting his head on the dock. He was allowed to remain seated for the rest of the judgement.
Britz was gunned down while manning the Klapmuts police station charge office alone on the night of April 16, 2014. Post mortem reports showed he had been shot twice in the head.
The police safe was also raided and four 9mm pistols, an R5 assault rifle, a shotgun, hand radio, and ammunition were stolen. The deceased’s pistol was also missing.
During the trial, the court heard that Ndevu, who worked as a constable at the Klapmuts police station, had been served with discliplinary papers a month before the murder.
He had not shown up for work for weeks and was charged with absence without leave.
Judge Salie-Hlophe described Ndevu as a “lying, deceptive and arrogant witness”. She said that his claim that he was with his brother on the night of the murder was a “belated alibi, an afterthought to belatedly create a defence for himself”.
She said his version disintegrated completely as his evidence was led.
Ndevu was the only one of the five accused to testify during the trial.
Meyer said the family hoped the court would hand down the harshest possible sentences to the two men convicted of the murder.
Sentencing proceedings have been set down for April 20.
http://iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/slain-cop-s-family-in-shock-as-3-acquitted-2002992
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