Former Cape Town metro police officer Tyrone Steward, accused in the Cape High Court of killing a Cape Flats man, was cross-examined on Thursday about his college training.
Steward and co-accused Kevin Pillay are on trial before Acting Judge M R Jakuja and assessor Dick Peckham, for the murder of Ebrahim Adams whilst the pair was part of a team patrolling the Cape Flats at night in February 2008.
The court has so far heard that the team spotted Adams running through the streets, and that Steward and another officer, Jason February, gave chase.
Pillay followed them and heard three shots, before finding Adams seriously wounded and bleeding in a car outside a block of flats.
Both Pillay and Steward allege February shot Adams, and that February was in an aggressive mood that night. After the shooting, February remarked he did not feel good about it, and wished he could go home and shoot himself. He did later commit suicide.
Questioned by prosecutor Lenro Badenhorst, Steward said his training at the college in Brackenfell was the same as the other police officers’. Asked if he learned during his training that he had to use minimum force if an arrested person tried to resist, Steward said yes. He had learned he could not arrest someone without proof they had committed an offence, he said.
He was also aware from his training that any shooting whilst on patrol had to be reported to radio control immediately, which they did not do.
Both men have told the court they feared February, due to his aggression and intimidating personality.
They told the court how February, whilst on patrol that night, had unlawfully put a handgun to an arrested suspect's head.
Asked why he did not try to run away after Adams was shot, Steward said: “I was afraid and confused. February had warned me, especially, not to tell my wife about the shooting and, because he knew where I lived, I was afraid he would try to harm us.”
The case continues on Monday. -
Sapa