SA cops storm Nigerian consulate gate, Bramley Johannesburg - in row over Nigerians' refusing to pay bribes
Posted: 28 Nov 2011 10:19 PM PST
SA cops stormed Nigerian consulate gate, tried to climb electronic fence in bribery-row December 3 2011 Journalist Thabiso Thakal reported a startling incident in the Saturday Star which occurred on Tuesday Nov 29: when SAPS members from the Bramley police station on Tuesday tried to storm the gate of the Nigerian consulate-general in Johannesburg - in an alleged row over Nigerians refusing to pay 'bribes' to staffers at the embassy.
It is not clear from the story whether the staffers were Nigerian or South African citizens. Attached: photograph of alleged SAPS assault on consular gate from CCTV footage. The drama played out when members from the Twelve Apostles Church in Christ, all set to to Nigeria the next day, had demanded their passports back after being denied visas over claims they “refused to pay a bribe”. They had wanted to attend an annual prayer meeting in Nigeria.
Heavily armed police from Bramley police station arrived and, denied access by consular officials, allegedly tried to storm the gate before attempting to scale the electric fence. CCTV shows armed South African officers arguing with (South African) security guards and (Nigerian) embassy officials while the officers tride to invade the consular premises. Church members were handed their passports with cancelled visas. Thami Khanyile of the church said they were told “bluntly” by an official that staff (not clear whether they were Nigerians or South Africans) had been sweating over 68 visas for “nothing”.
“When we stated that we were not willing to pay a bribe, the officials reacted angrily and proceeded to revoke the visas which had already been issued in our passports,” he said. “We called the police to come to our rescue because they refused to hand our passports back. We wanted to open a case but we were advised to take this through international relations.” Khanyile said the church has lost more than R500m in booked air tickets and accommodation for the 68. “They (consular officials) told us that the Nigerian church which we were visiting did not provide them with a genuine certificate that our church was registered,” he added. “We saw this as a ploy to try and solicit a bribe from us.” Consular sources said the church members had tried to stage an “illegal sit-in” at the consulate after they were told to return the next day with extra documents. Security was called to forcibly remove them, but police arrived and tried to force their way in.
“They ordered the guard on duty to open the gate and when he refused they threatened to gain entry by force,” said a source. A consular official who cannot be named said the officers acted “in violation of the diplomatic protocol and will have to answer serious questions for invading Nigeria”. Clayson Monyela, spokesman for the Department of International Relations and Co-operation, said the department would raise the issues through diplomatic channels with their Nigerian counterparts. The SAPS would investigate once an official complaint was received, said national police spokesperson Captain Dennis Adriao. The SAPS “respects international diplomatic protocols and any violation of these protocols will be seen in a serious light”. - Saturday Star http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/gauteng/cops-try-to-storm-consulate-1.1191559?utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=breakingnews&utm_source=sabreakingnews
