15-year sentence for cop who killed TUT student Katlego Monareng

31 Jan 2020, 16:18 by Alex Mitchley

A police officer who shot and killed Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) student Katlego Monareng during a protest in 2018 has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.

According to an Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) statement, former constable John Slender was convicted and sentenced by the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Friday.

IPID spokesperson Sontaga Seisa said acting judge Peet Johnson found that the student was not a threat to Slender when he opened fire on a group of students in 2018, killing Monareng and wounding one other.

The former constable, who was stationed at the Soshanguve police station, was also sentenced to five years for attempted murder. The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently.

Slender was also declared unfit to possess a firearm, Seisa said.

Monareng was shot dead in August 2018 during violent protests that erupted amid TUT student representative council elections on the Soshanguve campus.

News24 previously reported that police were called to the scene after students held a presiding officer hostage and assaulted him.

As police headed out, about 200 students barricaded the entrance to the campus.

"The police reported that they fired at the ground with R5 rifles and that, when they left, no one was injured, but police vehicles were damaged. The police were later informed that a student had been shot and injured," former IPID spokesperson Moses Dlamini said at the time.

Monareng died on the way to hospital.

IPID later arrested Slender and Captain Joseph Rapoo. Slender was identified as the shooter.

The deputy public prosecutor decided not to prosecute Rapoo and charges were withdrawn against him.

"IPID management would like to congratulate our investigation team which was led by our principal investigator, Mr Olebogeng Setlogelo, for their hard work in ensuring that the family of the deceased obtains justice and closure," Seisa said.