Cops afraid of their wives

2004-06-23 11:11

Liela Magnus

Pretoria - Some members of the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) are afraid that women married to police officers could murder their husbands to get access to government grants.

"We are afraid to get married," John Ledwaba said outside the Pretoria magistrate's court on Tuesday. He was one of about 50 Popcru members protesting outside the court.

He said some women could see the government grant paid to family members of murdered police officers as a Lotto ticket.

The Popcru members were protesting while a woman, charged with murdering her husband, was applying for bail.

Captain Lesibane Hosea Mokoka, 41, was shot dead in the shower of his flat in Pretoria West last month.

His wife, Melita Mokoka, and Mackson Osadorlor Aiyanyi were charged with the murder. Aiyanyi was released on R2 000 bail earlier this month.

Mokoka claimed Aiyanyi, a Nigerian, sold drugs on behalf of her husband and that he committed the murder.

Aiyanyi allegedly shoved her against the basin after the murder. She claimed she lost consciousness and only came to in hospital later.

She said she had seen Aiyanyi only once at the flat, to which he apparently had a key that allowed him to come and go as he pleased.

Mrs Mokoka's bail application was postponed to next month.

- Beeld