Trust me
they are crazy!
Cop ‘who acted crazy’ in cell back at work
June 11 2015 at 09:27am
By Botho Molosankwe
By Botho Molosankwe
INDEPENDENT
MEDIAFile
photo: Skyler Reid
Johannesburg - The Soweto police officer who was arrested for allegedly
robbing a woman and later sent for mental observation after he “acted crazy” in
the holding cells is back at work.
Constable Shadrack Maphari, who is attached to Diepkloof police station,
was allegedly caught red-handed robbing a woman in the Unisa parking lot in
Pretoria. His mental state is not known.
He was detained at Sunnyside police station, but had to be taken to
hospital for mental observation when he turned violent while in the holding
cells. At the time, he allegedly hit police officers and other suspects who
were detained with him, and broke some furniture .
Police spokesman Lieutenant Kay Makhubela confirmed on Wednesday that
Maphari was back at work at Diepkloof police station. He could not say if the
man was mentally stable or not.
“We do not know what his mental status is. The court is still waiting
for the medical report,” Makhubela said.
Allegations are that Maphari confronted his victim in the parking lot
two weeks ago, taking her wallet and cellphones.
Although Maphari carries a service pistol as a crime prevention officer,
Makhubela’s colleague, Lieutenant-Colonel Lungelo Dlamini, told The Star at the
time that Maphari did not have the firearm or use it at the time of the
incident.
The incident was witnessed by patrolling security guards in the parking
lot. Maphari was arrested and charged with robbery.
“All the stolen goods were handed back to the victim during the arrest,”
Dlamini said.
He also confirmed that while in the cells, Maphari had started being
aggressive, screaming and banging on the cells doors.
“He became violent, behaved strangely and assaulted other people. It
appeared as if he was mentally ill. Paramedics were summoned and advised police
that he must be taken to the hospital for mental observation,” Dlamini said.
However, a source who did not want to be identified disputed Dlamini’s
version of events.
The source said Maphari, who is a student at Unisa, had followed his
victim to the parking lot with the intention to hijack her. There was a
commotion that later saw him fighting to get inside the woman’s car, taking her
cellphones, wallet and car keys.
“The driver was screaming and the security guards arrived and called the
police,” the source said, adding that the car key was found in Maphari’s
possession.
The source said that while in the cells, Maphari started “acting crazy”,
screaming, hitting the police officers and another suspect in the cells,
banging on the door of the cell and breaking things.
Makhubela confirmed Maphari appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court
last week and was released on bail.
He said disciplinary processes against Maphari were under way.
botho.molosankwe@inl.co.za
The Star
