UPDATE: Prosecutor Was Accidentally Shot Dead By Police Officer in SA Court

A senior state prosecutor who was accidentally shot dead in her own court room was blasted by a police officer who was handing over a gun as an exhibit in a robbery trial, it can be revealed.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) is treating the incident as culpable homicide and senior detectives have interviewed the police officer said to be responsible for the death of the popular lawyer.

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate have been called in to investigate the shooting of top advocate Addelaid Ferreira-Watt (51) in court on Monday.

Spokesman Sontaga Seisa said: “IPID has been alerted to the unfortunate incident involving the alleged accidental shooting of the state senior police prosecutor in a court on Monday by a police officer.

“IPID is investigating the matter and will provide updates when they are available”.

Detectives refuse to say whether the police officer actually pulled the trigger or dropped the weapon causing it to go off but want to know why the gun was loaded and if the safety catch was off.

Ferreira-Watt reportedly screamed in agony as she was blown off her feet when the discharge from a shotgun blew a gaping hole in her hip as she was opening the case.

Horrified staff in the Ixopo Regional Court in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa, rushed to her aid and desperately tried to stop the bleeding as paramedics treated her and rushed her to hospital.

But mother-of-one Ferreira-Watt was later pronounced dead by a doctor in hospital despite the efforts of the paramedics. It is believed the blast severed an artery and that she bled to death.

Barrister was seeking conviction of gang linked to Sutherland Farm tortures

The barrister, who worked for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), was seeking the conviction of five men who were part of an eight-man gang who terrorised married couple David and Cheryl Biggs.

The pair from Sutherland Farm in Ixopo had been tied up and tortured with a Taser gun by the gang who stole three guns and ammunition and cash and valuables in the farm robbery in 2014.

David, 70, was tasered 10 times and his wife several times, and was beaten round the face suffering extensive bruising to the face and a broken rib before the gang stole their station wagon and left.

SAPS had returned the stolen guns to the couple who needed them for their protection after the gang was caught and an officer collected them earlier this week as trial exhibits.

Cheryl, 63, confirmed she handed the shot gun over but told the officer she did not know if it was loaded or not.

The Witness newspaper, quoting police sources, said that the shotgun should have been checked to ensure it was not loaded and it should not have been allowed in as an exhibit while still live.

Police spokesman Brigadier Jay Naicker said in a statement: “It is alleged on Monday at 3.20pm that a 51-year-old woman was taken to hospital after she was struck by a shot to the left hip.

“She later died in hospital. It is alleged that the weapon was brought to court to be entered as evidence in a house robbery case when it accidentally discharged in court and investigations are continuing”.

He refused to comment on how the gun came to be fired or who was responsible for checking whether it was live or not.

He would only say: “Investigations are at a sensitive stage and the investigation must be allowed to be completed.”

A close legal friend of the highly respected barrister said: “There is absolutely no need for a weapon being submitted in evidence in a court of law to still be capable of being capable of being fired.

“The weapon and the ammunition that it had contained at the time of the alleged crime should have been submitted in separate evidence bags so someone is in big trouble for not doing their job.

“Addelaid was an excellent lawyer and a devoted mother and a lover of art and animals and for her to be taken away so cruelly and in such a freakish way is just agonising” she said.

The KwaZulu-Natal Director of Public Prosecutions Elaine Zungo said: “It is with great sadness that I inform you of the passing of senior state advocate Addelaid Ferreira-Watt.

“Her untimely passing is mourned by all and our thoughts and prayers are with her family during this difficult time and the family have requested their privacy to be respected”.

According to Ferreira-Watt’s Facebook page, she was from Pretoria and studied law at Potchefstroom University. Her Facebook page is filled with posts about wildlife and with pictures proudly showing her daughter Lindsay who appears to be engaged.

Her sister-in-law Antoinette Ferreira said on her Facebook page: “Addelaid died yesterday after being shot in court working as a state advocate. Thank you all for your prayers.

“A loving and caring mother, a loyal and dear friend, an incredibly smart, intelligent, dynamic resilient and beautiful woman. You filled my life with love and humour.

“We are so shocked you have been taken away in such a terrible way from your loved ones. A lot strength to you Lindsay – your mother loved you so much” said her relative.