Pavilion robbery: Slain Durban cop described as ‘dedicated’
The Durban police officer who was killed by a jewellery gang will be laid to rest on Monday.
Sergeant Riyadh Adams was shot on Sunday by the robbers as they were making their getaway at Pavilion shopping centre in Westville.
They had targeted two stores at the shopping centre and came across Adams' police vehicle on their way out.
The officer died of his injuries in hospital.
Close friend and colleague Yusuf Moola says he rushed to Adams' side when he heard he'd been shot.
"We got ER24 to get there as quickly as they got. They got there, pulling him out of the car, I kept telling him to hold on, and all he was saying was 'bro, bro', you know, like saying brother. So I was just saying, 'Hold on, bro, we're getting you to the hospital'.
"They got to the hospital. I didn't go there because I said I needed to focus we're going through suspects. We went looking for these guys."
Adams was with the Cato Manor Trio Task Team.
He's been described as a dedicated policeman with solid links to the communities of Cato Manor, Bellaire, Sydenham, Overport, and others that he served.
Another friend, Imtiaz Siyad, says Adams stood at the frontline with fortitude.
"The one thing we all remember is he used to use a word for everyone that he was close to him, whether you were in the police service, whether you were in a security company. As soon as he would see you he would say 'Howzit, Bhai’.
"And what we're gonna miss is to get his phone call 'Bhai, where are you?'" And what we're gonna miss is the fact that whenever there were things that were hectic and hard to handle he was our first call. Riyadh, to me, was actually a brother."
