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Julius, 16, was shot in the area on Wednesday and died the next day with police claiming he was caught between a shootout with officers and suspected gangsters.
Nathaniel Julius. Image: Facebook.
JOHANNESBURG – The Independent Police Investigation Directorate (Ipid) has confirmed that two police officers have been arrested in connection with the murder of Nathaniel Julius in Eldorado Park.
The police watchdog said the two arrested officers will be charged with murder and defeating the ends of justice.
Julius, 16, was shot in the area on Wednesday and died the next day with police claiming he was caught between a shootout with officers and suspected gangsters.
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However, his family and the community said the police account of what happened to the teenager was not true.
They say the teenager with Down syndrome was shot and killed after failing to respond to questions from officers.
Police management said they made the decision to arrest the couple after carefully considering the evidence they obtained.
Ipid spokesperson Ndileka Cola said: “Ipid, after careful consideration of the information and evidence available, has taken to arrest the two SAPS members arrested in the alleged shooting that occurred in Eldorado Park on Wednesday.”
Meanwhile, Police Minister Bheki Cele is asking members of the public to assist Ipid with information that will lead to the arrest of those responsible for Julius’ murder.
Cele’s visit was greeted by angry residents who want those behind the teenager’s murder to face the full power of the law and want to act soon.
They say they have lost faith in the police officers stationed at the Eldorado Park Police Station and want them out of their community, warning that they will make the municipality ungovernable.
But Cele has called for calm: “We will take the matter to the Gauteng government.”
At the same time, Ipid’s boss, Dikeledi Ntlatseng, who also visited the teenager’s home and says that the crime scene where Julius was killed was tampered with.
“We received a preliminary report that the weapon that was used is not the one used by the same scorpion that they are complaining about.”
Eldorado Park is one of the crime infested areas where drug lords have been a problem for some time.
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