Three Mpumalanga police officers accused of involvement in the death of a man assaulted after a car accident remain in custody following their first court appearance.
Constables Ina Mahlangu (34), Lucky Shabangu (35), and Musa Hlanze (32) appeared at the Evander Magistrate’s Court on Monday. Their case was postponed to Thursday for a formal bail application. They face charges of murder and defeating the ends of justice.
The case stems from a crash on August 17 in Embalenhle, where a 33-year-old man survived but was allegedly beaten by the responding officers. Investigators are working to establish if the assault directly caused his death.
The arrests followed a joint investigation by SAPS detectives and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID). Acting provincial police commissioner Major-General Zeph Mkhwanazi said the action showed SAPS’s commitment to accountability, stressing that “no one is above the law.”
The arrests add to a series of recent cases in which police officers were convicted or charged for violent crimes, which IPID says highlights progress in holding law enforcement accountable.
