MTHATHA – The girlfriend of a murdered police official has been denied bail by the East London Magistrate’s Court.
Vuyokazi Fredy (39) is currently facing charges of murder and defeating the ends of justice. The 50-year-old victim was a SAPS Sergeant stationed at Khwenxurha. He was not on duty at the time of his murder.
The bail denial emanates from her arrest on 16 June by a joint team comprising the East London Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit working together with Khwenxurha SAPS, Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC), Provincial Crime Management and the Provincial Crime Scene Investigation Unit.
According to a media statement issued by Hawks spokesperson, Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana, the couple is said to have been drinking at a local tavern in Khwenxurha on 15 June.
“Subsequently, an intense argument resulted in the girlfriend allegedly viciously attacking the officer with a knobkerrie, causing the police sergeant to sustain multiple head injuries. An acquaintance of the victim reportedly intervened and took him to his house. When they arrived, the policeman was supposedly placed in his bedroom,” the statement read.
“Afterwards, the reports exposed that on 16 June the suspect went to Khwenxurha SAPS to report that her partner had been in bed since yesterday and had not been moving. The police attended the scene. Upon their arrival, the joint team discovered that the scene had been tampered with and found the victim lying on his bed.
“The police officer was also found to have multiple wounds on his head. Initial investigation by the joint team resulted in the suspect being apprehended immediately. Through rigorous investigation, the suspect was positively linked with the aforesaid murder,” the statement read.
Fredy made her first court appearance before the East London Magistrates on 18 June. After that, she made numerous court appearances in an attempt to be granted bail, but she was denied bail on 9 July.
The Acting Provincial Head of the Hawks, Brigadier Fernando Luis, expressed his gratitude to the joint team for ensuring that the suspect faces the full force of the law and for successfully securing the denial of bail.
