Just when Rudzani Thelma Ramano thought her marital problems were about to end, as her divorce was about to be finalized, her life ended when her police ex-husband allegedly shot and killed her at the Louis Trichardt Police Station premises last Thursday morning at about 07:00.

According to the police spokesperson, Capt Maano Sadike, it appears as if Rudzani Ramano (30) and her husband, Insp Freddy Mashamba (43), had an argument in Louis Trichardt. During the argument, she and her aunt drove at high speed to the Louis Trichardt police station and they were pursued by Mashamba.

Mashamba is stationed at the Bandelierkop Police Station.

"Before the deceased could alight from the car, the suspect shot and killed her, using his service pistol. The two were in the process of finalizing their divorce," said Sadike, who confirmed that the deceased was shot several times, with 10 bullets that struck her in the face, chest, head and back.

Sadike acknowledged that the police heard the gunshots and went to investigate, only to find out about the incident and arrest the suspect on the spot. He further indicated that it was only after his arrest that they realized the suspect was a policeman, based at Bandelierkop. "From what we could deduce from the attack, the man’s idea was to finish his wife off," Sadike said.

According to Sadike, the police are conducting further investigations to determine the real reason behind the killing.

Mashamba appeared briefly in the Louis Trichardt Magistrate’s Court last Friday, and the case was postponed to Wednesday for formal bail application. He appeared in court on Wednesday, but the bail application was postponed to July16. The suspect will remain in custody.

"The suspect did not seem to be having problems before the incident. We therefore call on members of the community, including police officers, who are experiencing marital problems to consult the relevant authorities to seek help rather than take other people’s lives."

According to Sadike, the deceased died in the front passenger seat of her aunt’s Chevrolet sedan while the public were watching. According to Mrs Patricia Ramano, a family member of the deceased, the couple fell in love in 1996 soon after the deceased’s mother passed away, which resulted in Mashamba and his three children moving in with the deceased. "The family never supported this, as they thought Mashamba was after the money from the deceased’s mother’s estate. They separated in 2005."

Ms Rudzani Ramano was born at Tshikota and was working as a teller at a local bank. According to members of the family, Ramano will be laid to rest at the Vleifontein cemetery tomorrow (Saturday). She is survived by two sons.