Police refute claims of dockets found
This comes after the police were contacted by a journalist from the
Middelburg Observer, a local newspaper ,requesting a comment from the police
with regard to documents that appeared to them as dockets and exhibits discovered
in that building.
Nomvula
Chawane | 13 November 2013 12:05
NELSPRUIT
– The Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thulani Ntobela has refuted
claims of alleged dockets found in an unused building in Middelburg.
This
comes after the police were contacted by a journalist from the Middelburg
Observer, a local newspaper ,requesting a comment from the police with regard
to documents that appeared to them as dockets and exhibits discovered in that
building.
The
building was utilised by the disbanded Serious and Violent Crime Unit (SVC) and
the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offence Unit (FCS).
The
journalist was requested to allow the police time to verify the claims with the
relevant officials as the police do not possess the keys to the building.
On Friday
, the relevant officials together with the journalist converged at the building
to verify the claims and it was discovered that the documents as said to be
dockets were only files containing names of wanted suspects, not dockets. According
to the police,the files used to belong to SVC’s Tracing Unit and they did not
in anyway contain sensitive information and did not disclose part of any
investigation.
The
police also said that the alleged exhibits had already been sent to Forensic Science
Laboratory and brought back with findings.
“We
acknowledge that evidence used needs to be disposed accordingly and this was
regrettably an oversight on our part.
We thank
the people who discovered these items and informed us. Due process is underway
to determine how these items were left unattended and not disposed off,” said
Ntobela.
Ntobela
further said that the police reaffirms their commitment in working together
with the media and also encourage accurate, positive and verification of facts
before reporting.
