Double murder-accused VIP cop remanded
Updated | By ANA
A police officer attached to the elite Presidential Protection Services, Benedict Peloeole, who stands accused of murdering his wife and daughter, will seek bail next month, the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court heard on Monday.
The warrant officer initially appeared before chief magistrate Desmond Nair.
Peloeole’s lawyer, who refused to be named, told the court that he was seeking a postponement of the case so that the bail application would be brought at a later stage.
When Nair spoke to Peloeole directly, the policeman said he wanted to push for bail on Monday.
“My wife’s family has buried her. I would want to launch a claim with my insurers so that I can make a financial [contribution for the burial costs],” said Peloeole. Sounding very emotional, Peloeole still has a shiny golden wedding band on his left ring finger.
Nair adjourned the matter, giving Peloeole and his lawyer time to consult. After the adjournment, acting senior magistrate Lydia Painter presided over the case.
Peloeole and his lawyer had concurred about seeking bail at a later date. The matter will return to court on October 9.
Prosecutor Sipho Letsoalo requested that the court grant an order compelling Peloeole to surrender his passport.
Letsoalo also asked the court to compel the police officer to surrender his personal Luger pistol, issued in 1998. The prosecutor said even though it is alleged Peloeole used his state-issued firearm during the murders, the private handgun should also be brought in. The service pistol was seized when Peloeole was arrested.
Through his lawyer, Peloeole said he would surrender his two passports to the court.
Regarding the private firearm, Peloeole said the handgun was confiscated by police “around 1999 or 2000”.
Letsoalo requested that the investigating officer search the murder-accused’s safe for the firearm.
Painter granted Letsoalo’s requests, making them court orders.
Peloeole initially appeared in the same court last week facing double murder charges.
The warrant officer was arrested for allegedly murdering his wife and daughter at their home in Pretoria.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) is investigating the circumstances around the shootings.
Shortly after the incident on September 12, IPID spokeswoman Grace Langa had said: “It was alleged that the officer, from the Pretoria protection unit at the Union Buildings, shot his 23-year-old daughter and his 42-year-old wife at their home in Pretoria West.”
“It is alleged the couple had disagreements in the morning before the officer left for his cousin’s funeral arrangement. When he returned home in the evening, it is alleged he asked his wife to cook for him.”
While the wife was cooking, he allegedly went to another room where he fetched a firearm before shooting his wife and their daughter, said Langa.
According to IPID, Peloeole had then put his service pistol back in the safe, before taking his 17-year-old son and his nephew, who were also in the house at the time of the killings, to his neighbours.
He asked the neighbour to drive him to the police station where he was arrested.
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