A 46-year-old police sergeant from Gauteng is facing serious charges after allegedly setting his girlfriend’s shack ablaze in Limpopo, leaving her injured.
The incident happened in the early hours of Thursday, 10 July, in Lyden village, Bakenburg, near Mokopane. According to reports, the woman was asleep when the sergeant, believed to be her boyfriend, arrived at her home around 2:45 AM and became angry when she did not respond to his knocking. In a violent outburst, he reportedly set fire to the curtains, and the flames quickly spread throughout the two-room shack.
Thanks to the swift actions of nearby residents, the woman was pulled from the burning structure and survived the ordeal, though she sustained injuries. Emergency services and police were alerted shortly after.
The officer, who is stationed at the Olivenhoutbosch police station in Gauteng, was tracked down and arrested the following day. The case has been handed over to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) for further investigation.
He is scheduled to appear in the Mahwelereng Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 14 July, where he will face charges of attempted murder and arson.
Limpopo’s Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, praised the police team for acting quickly to bring the suspect to justice. The incident has further fueled calls for stricter action against law enforcement officers involved in gender-based violence.