A Port Elizabeth student convicted of killing an off-duty police officer will be sentenced in the city’s high court next month.
Charles Nqaba, 26, was found guilty earlier this month on charges of murder, attempted murder and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. Nqaba, who was previously out on bail, will be kept in custody until his next court date on April 19.
The matter was postponed on Tuesday as Judge Phakamisa Tshiki was indisposed.
Constable Devin Hattingh, a father of three, was shot and killed while escorting a truck to Motherwell during July 2014. At the time he was off-duty and doing extra security work to supplement his income.
Nqaba’s co-accused Jabulani Mkaba, 28, who has been in custody throughout the trial, was acquitted on all charges.
In his judgement, Tshiki had previously said the evidence against Nqaba was overwhelming. “In my view the evidence against [Mkaba] is not sufficient to make a conclusion that the State has proved its case against him,” said Tshiki.
Tshiki said that Nqaba had told lies in the case and had misled the court on many issues, adding that his confession to police was significant.
Tshiki said that in his view, Nqaba was the “author” of the events leading up to the death of Hattingh.
Hattingh and his wife Blanche were both stationed at Mount Road police station.
On the day of his killing, the couple had worked their last shift together. Blanche still drives the same silver VW Polo that her husband was gunned down in while sitting in the driver’s seat. Blanche said that the car was something she could never let go of.
– African News Agency (ANA)
