The trial of a Gqeberha man who shot and killed a police officer with his service pistol is underway in the city's high court.
Sergeant Mario Nel, 42, was on duty as a court orderly at the Motherwell Magistrates Court when he was shot and killed on 3 May last year.
He was dressed in full police uniform on the day.
The state alleges that Andile Nyoka attacked Nel from behind at around 08:50 while he was pinning the court roll for the day on the notice board.
Nyoka allegedly grabbed Nel's services pistol and the two of them started to wrestle for possession of the gun.
In the process, Nel was shot through his head.
According to the charge sheet, Nyoka ran out of the courtroom with Nel's firearm.
At around 10:20 on the same day in Sisulu Street in Motherwell, the accused allegedly stopped a taxi driver and threatened him with the firearm.
He demanded that the driver take him to Korsten.
When the accused allegedly hijacked the taxi, there were two female passengers inside, who were also kidnapped in the process.
While driving down Sisulu Street, the taxi driver noticed a police van. He jumped out of the vehicle and ran in their direction.
The taxi, still in motion, collided with an electric pole with the accused and the two passengers still inside.
At this point, the accused allegedly leaned out of the rear window of the taxi and fired gunshots at the police and the taxi driver.
The police returned fire at the accused and wounded him in the process.
Nel's service pistol was found in Nyoka's possession in Sisulu Street.
