Monday, September 28, 2009

'Depressed cop attempted suicide'

Hanti Otto
August 06 2009

She gave the police a fit and emotionally well man and they returned to her someone sick and broken.

These are the sentiments of Minnie Vincer, whose son, a former inspector, stole a police pistol with the aim of committing suicide.

Raynier Weimer, 43, has pleaded guilty to theft for stealing a semi-automatic firearm in the Pretoria Regional Court.

Police realised he had stolen the firearm only when, seven months later, they were called to stop him from shooting himself.

The court heard that the horrors Weimer had been exposed to in his job, and his wife's unfaithfulness, made him realise he might do something "irresponsible", so he handed in his service pistol.

Although a doctor found him unfit to do duty in the SAPS in 2006, Weimer was not medically boarded.

He was placed in the logistics department.

In 2007, his former wife, who apparently had had no contact with the children since their divorce, demanded contact and custody of the children.
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