Police official facing a charge of premeditated murder denied bail

The Pretoria North Magistrates’ Court denied bail to a police sergeant Kate Lindiwe Hlongwane (43), attached to the Dube Police Station under visible policing. Hlongwane is facing a charge of premeditated murder for killing her husband and a father to her three children, Russel Hlongwane (40).

It is alleged that in the early hours of the morning of 28 January 2024, the couple argued at their home in Soshanguve when Hlongwane shot her husband several times with her service pistol.

When the neighbour heard the gunshots, it was alleged that he came to the yard and found the deceased shot on the ground. He then took the deceased to Akasia Hospital, where he died a few hours later. Hlongwane was arrested by SAPS the same day and the case was referred to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) for investigation and handling of the case.

In court Hlongwane denied intentionally killing her husband instead she said the gun went off while wrestling with it with the husband.

She therefore asked the court to release her on bail because she is the primary caregiver of her 3 minor children.

However, the prosecutor advocate Tumelo Letaoana, opposed her release on bail and argued that Hlongwane disqualified herself from the responsibility of taking care of her children, as such the children are now taken care of by the family of the deceased. furthermore, Adv Letaoana told the court that Hlongwane committed a serious offence of Gender Based Violence (GBV), where through a voice recording that was played in court Hlongwane told her friend that she was tired of her cheating husband and was now going to use her power.

The magistrate agreed with the state that Hlongwane failed to discharge honours resting upon her to convince the court to grant her bail and that the state has outdone itself in opposing bail. The matter was postponed to 29 April for further investigations.