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Audi
death-crash bribe claim
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The IPID would like to hear from anyone who has experienced police
demanding on the spot bribes from motorists.
AREFF Haffejee, the driver of the Audi R8 sports car involved in a fatal collision that claimed his life and that of a police officer, may have been on his way to draw cash to “pay off” the officer. This latest claim has arisen after speculation that police had “misplaced” the docket. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate’s (IPID) spokesman Moses Dlamini would not comment on allegations that in the seconds before his fatal crash on Oxford Road in Rosebank, Johannesburg, Haffejee contacted a family member and asked them to meet him at an ATM to draw cash to pay off policemen who had caught him speeding. “I obviously cannot comment on the specifics of a case or an investigation, but there will obviously be a very thorough investigation. “Family and friends will be interviewed and obviously there will be other enquiries, but I don’t want to say that we will investigate phone records,” Dlamini said. The IPID spokesman also rubbished reports that the investigation docket had gone missing. “Contrary to what was reported on Wednesday I can confirm that we have the investigation docket and we are studying it. I don’t want to go into the case, but whatever the truth is, it will come out. If the police are being unfairly criticised that will come out, but if this crash was caused by any sort of corruption or bribery attempt then that will also come out.” Dlamini said that as well as any witnesses in the Haffejee case, the IPID would like to hear from anyone who has experienced police demanding on the spot bribes from motorists and who then drove their victims to banks or ATMs to draw cash bribes. Carine Conradie-Haffejee, Areff’s widow, said she was not aware of any calls her husband made in relation to a bribe. “I don’t think it can be true, his phone was off at the time of the accident.” Constable Goodman Lusibi was killed in the car crash with Haffejee. Lusibi’s unnamed partner claimed a small quantity of dagga was found in Haffejee’s car and that he had been placed under arrest and asked to drive to a police station. However, questions have been asked as to why Haffejee was not arrested and handcuffed as is normal procedure. Lusibi’s partner also claims that he chased the Audi, but other witnesses claim there was no high- speed chase and that Haffejee drove off without the other policeman trying to stop him. Finally questions have been asked about why Lusibi did not use his service pistol to force Haffejee to stop. Andre Snyman, of Internet crime forum eBlockwatch, said he had been alerted to a number of cases where police had pulled over motorists, sat in the car with them and then demanded a bribe after finding small amounts of dagga in the car. By Paul Kirk The Citizen 17/01/13 |
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Crimes of the South African Police Service
