Posted: 01 Nov 2011 10:26 PM PDT
Afrikaans SAPS widow Margaretha Liza de Bruin sues SAPS for repeated false arrests 2011-11-02 source: Beeld journalist Hanti Otto - Margaretha (Liza) de Bruin, the widow of sergeant Daniël de Bruin, an SAPS national intervention unit officer who died in July last year with six other colleagues in a police chopper crash, is suing the authorities for R100,000 in damages after she was arrested twice on trumped-up charges and thrown into a police cell with male convicts.
Twice she was arrested and twice the charges against her were withdrawn. She was never charged with anything, said her legal counsel Carel Taute. He sent a notice of intention to sue to the authorities. Details submitted show that Mrs De Bruin, 28, Marthinus Nel, 22, and a 17-year-old youth were arrested as suspects in an armed robbery of a pub in March 2011 at Hermansstad, Pretoria. Mr Nel - the State alleged at the time -- was wearing her late husband's bulletproof vest, SAPS-appointment certificate and gun-holster. The three accused Afrikaners first appeared in the Atteridgeville regional court on 7 March - and at this point the state-prosecutor told the magistrate that 'the dossier was unclear as to exactly what they should be charged with'.
"The accused did not point the claimed weapon, apparently a gas-pistol, to anyone. Further investigations need to be undertaken to determine the exact charges.' Yet Mrs de Bruin and Mr Nel were held in custody for a week until they were released on R1,500 bail and the teenager was released in the care of his parents. On 28 April, they appeared in court again. Otto writes that this time, the charge sheet indicated that they are being charged with 'pointing an object with could have a person believe that it was a firearm; and for pretending to be police officers.
' There were statements submitted to the court that the man and the teenager had gone inside the pub while Mrs De Bruin remained outside in the car. The charges against them were withdrawn - but three months later they were charged again: only to have these charges withdrawn against them again on 25 October. Legal counsel Taute said 'it appeared as if there was not enough evidence nor a case to answer for.' http://www.beeld.com/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/Weduwee-dagvaar-na-arrestasie-20111101
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