Bethelsdorp | Monday
A 37-year-old policeman was shot and killed on Sunday night during an argument with residents of Bethelsdorp, outside Port Elizabeth over an annual Guy Fawkes tradition, Eastern Cape police reported on Monday.
Superintendent Johann van Greunen said the incident occurred while Sergeant Andrew Gwijila and his partner Captain Edith Jili were addressing a crowd about burning tyres.
According to van Greunen, members of the community burn tyres as part of their annual celebrations commemorating Guy Fawkes.
The pair had instructed the community to refrain from setting tyres alight when the crowd became unruly.
”This unknown group of people defied police orders and insisted on burning more tyres. The policeman followed the group to the back of the house where they attacked him,” the police representative said.
”An argument apparently ensued between the victim and one of the people. The policeman attempted to overpower the armed suspect, but a shot was fired, wounding the victim in the right leg.”
Gwijila, a father of four, told his partner that he had been wounded and Jili returned to their vehicle to summon an ambulance.
”At that stage the she heard another two to three shots being fired.”
Van Greunen said Jili went to investigate and found Gwijila with a gunshot wound to the head.
No arrests have been made. – Sapa