A police officer in South Africa has been arrested for allegedly killing his wife.

The Welkom constable in the Free State, was taken into custody on Tuesday following Monday night’s attack.

He had two firearms in his possession – one was unlicensed.

His slain wife was a sergeant in the South Africa Police Service (SAPS).

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate’s (Ipid) Ndileka Cola said: “It is alleged the couple went to drop their 17-month-old baby at the deceased’s mother’s house and they left together. The body of the woman was found lying on the road and the police were called to the scene. They found the deceased still in her pyjamas, with a gunshot wound and all her valuable belongings with her.”

Last week, Ipid officials arrested a female SAPS member stationed at the Ficksburg police station for the attempted murder of her boyfriend. She’d accused him of cheating on her.

And in the Eastern Cape, a police officer recently appeared in the Mount Fletcher Magistrates Court in connection with the attempted murder of his girlfriend.