A South African police officer has been found guilty of murder after fatally shooting his 25-year-old son, whom he mistook for an intruder.
The tragic incident occurred in the early hours of December 28, 2022. Warrant Officer Vincent Mkhize, 46, attached to the Umlazi Crime Prevention (Vispol) unit, was off duty at his home when he heard noises at his front door around 1 a.m.
According to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), Mkhize believed someone was trying to break into his house. He armed himself with his service pistol and went to check.
“Upon opening the front door, he saw a figure at the burglar gate and fired two shots. The person screamed, identifying himself as the officer’s son,” said IPID spokesperson Phaladi Shuping.
Realizing his mistake, Mkhize and his wife, a nurse, tried to administer first aid before rushing their son, Ayanda Gift Mkhize, to Isipingo Hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
Following an IPID investigation, the case was handed to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), which recommended that Mkhize be charged with murder.
He was subsequently convicted by the Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court. The case has been adjourned to December 2, 2025, for sentencing, and his bail has been extended pending the hearing.
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