Accused shot dead in court after trying to disarm court orderly

A KwaZulu-Natal court orderly shot and killed an accused person who had grabbed his colleague’s firearm at the Melmoth magistrate’s court on Monday morning.

Spokesperson for the ministry of justice and constitutional development Terrence Manase said preliminary reports indicate that an accused person in custody allegedly gained access to a court orderly’s firearm.

“In a swift and decisive response, a second court orderly acted with commendable presence of mind and discharged his service weapon, fatally wounding the accused before any further harm could occur.

“The individual was declared deceased at the scene. While the full details of the incident, including the identity of the deceased and the exact sequence of events, are still under investigation, the ministry is encouraged by the professionalism displayed by court officials in a high-pressure situation.

“Their actions undoubtedly prevented a potentially greater tragedy,” he said.

According to Manase, the ministry has also initiated its own internal review of court security measures and police are also conducting a thorough investigation.

“A full report is expected in due course. Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has called for an urgent briefing and has emphasised the need for an immediate strengthening of security protocols in all court precincts.

“The department is working closely with law enforcement to ensure enhanced safety measures are urgently implemented to safeguard all court users. Despite the distressing incident, court operations at Melmoth were not disrupted, and the regional court continued to serve the public as scheduled.”

In April, a man was shot and killed at the Wynberg regional court in Western Cape just minutes after consulting an instructing attorney.

SowetanLIVE