Murder-suicide claims couple

2005-06-27 11:06

Johannesburg - A 35-year-old man shot and killed his girlfriend and then turned the gun on himself, Mpumalanga police said on Monday.

Captain Abie Khoabane said the man went to his girlfriend's house in the Sakhile township near Standerton to collect his belongings on Sunday after he was earlier ordered to leave her house.

"Problems began a few weeks ago when the woman opened a case of domestic violence and applied for a court interdict against her boyfriend. The court had ordered the man to move out of the house and to hand in his firearm," said Khoabane.

"However, on Friday, the court issued an order that the police give the man back his firearm."

While he was taking a television set out of the house, the two began to argue and the man pulled out his firearm and fired four shots at the 25-year-old woman.

"The fourth shot hit the woman in the head, killing her. The man then shot himself in the head," said Khoabane.

He said the two had been lovers since their schooldays.

- SAPA