A POLICE officer in the Free State has been sentenced for assault and discharging a firearm in a built-up area without warranted cause.
Daniel Petrus Du Toit, a 52-year-old warrant officer with the South African Police Service, was arrested and charged following his violent altercation with a motorist in Wesselsbron, a small farming town that lies about 160 km north of provincial capital Bloemfontein.
According to a statement from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the law enforcer was patrolling the streets on 6 November 2020 when he stopped in front of a vehicle that was being driven by the 50-year-old complainant, blocking him from moving.
Du Toit is said to have taken the keys to the complainant’s vehicle and started punching him with fists.
He proceeded to take out his firearm, discharged four shots and broke the complainant’s cellphone during his attack on the defenceless victim, the NPA says.
Afterwards, the complainant opened a case with the police and Du Toit was charged with assault, discharging a firearm in a built-up area without warranted cause as well as malicious injury to property.
During his appearance before the Wesselsbron Magistrates Court last week, state prosecutor Matome Shai urged the court should view this incident in a serious light considering the accused was a seasoned officer who should have known acted better.
Du Toit was found guilty on all charges.
The court sentenced him to pay a fine of R6 000 or spend six months in prison on the assault charge.
For discharging a firearm in a built-up area without warranted cause, the officer was fined R10 000 or 12 months direct imprisonment wholly suspended for three years.
And on the count of malicious injury to property, the court slapped him with a R2 000 fine or three months behind bars. – Staff Reporter