Monday, April 27, 2015
Crimes of the South African Police Service
I'm the victim of a
political conspiracy - McBride
STEPHAN HOFSTATTER, MZILAKAZI wa AFRIKA and PIET RAMPEDI | 15 March,
2015 11:43
Robert McBride wasted no
time after taking over the police watchdog in setting the wheels in motion to
let Hawks head Lieutenant-General Anwa Dramat and Gauteng Hawks boss
Major-General Shadrack Sibiya off the hook.
This emerged from papers that McBride filed in court on Friday to
interdict Minister of Police Nathi Nhleko from suspending him as head of the
Independent Police Investigative Directorate.
The papers include an information note from the directorate to Nhleko,
providing him with feedback of McBride's meeting with prosecutors on March 6
last year. McBride took up his post on March 3.
McBride told Nhleko he had met senior prosecutors to discuss three
"high-profile" cases, including the one implicating Dramat and Sibiya
in the illegal rendition of Zimbabweans. His team was "reviewing the
totality of the available evidence to ensure that recommendations that are made
are appropriate and speaks to what can be proven".
Less than two weeks later, the directorate submitted a report - which
Nhleko accuses McBride of doctoring - that cleared Sibiya and Dramat of
involvement in the renditions. This is despite evidence in the docket already
submitted to the National Prosecuting Authority that they were.
However, the court papers reveal that Innocent Khuba, who headed the
directorate's renditions probe, had already submitted a signed report to the
authority recommending that Dramat and Sibiya be charged with kidnapping and
defeating the ends of justice. The report refers to detailed evidence of Dramat
and Sibiya's involvement in the operation that led to the renditions.
In a letter appointing law firm Werksmans to investigate "who and
under what circumstances was the original report altered", Nhleko points
out that the authority was already in possession of the directorate's signed
recommendation to prosecute Dramat and Sibiya before McBride was appointed.
Interference
Nhleko served McBride with a suspension notice on Wednesday for
allegedly tampering with evidence and interfering with witnesses to shield
Dramat and Sibiya from prosecution.
These charges relate to McBride's instruction to Khuba not to co-operate
with the ministerial probe, and the directorate head's visit to Sibiya's office
last month to remove a data device from his safe.
Sibiya's personal assistant, Pearl Pomuser, said in a sworn statement
that McBride retrieved the device from Sibiya's office, claiming that he needed
it for a directorate investigation into "systemic corruption".
Sibiya had previously asked McBride to intervene when two police crime
intelligence officials visited his office, wanting to retrieve the device from
a safe that previously belonged to Lieutenant-General Richard Mdluli, the
former crime-intelligence head who appears in court next month on corruption
charges.
Acting Hawks head Major-General Berning Ntlemeza also filed a sworn
statement this week claiming that a key witness against Dramat had died under
mysterious circumstances.
Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Madilonga fell ill and died unexpectedly
while on a training course in Cape Town last year. He had implicated Dramat
directly in the operation that led to the renditions.
Madilonga had been stationed at Beit Bridge when Zimbabwean detectives
asked to be let into the country because they were on their way to meet Dramat.
On Friday, McBride asked the High Court in Pretoria for an urgent
interdict against his suspension, claiming to be the victim of a political
conspiracy to rid the Hawks of Dramat and Sibiya, in a bid to derail their
"high-profile" investigations.
Dramat conceded to having "meetings with Zimbabwean
officials", but claimed what was discussed was "classified".
McBride's counsel Steven Budlender argued in court on Friday that if the
directorate head was suspended he would be replaced by someone hand-picked by
Nhleko in an acting capacity, which would undermine the police watchdog's
independence. McBride wants sections of the Independent Police Investigative
Directorate Act that allow the police minister to suspend or remove the
watchdog body's head to be declared unconstitutional.
Nhleko's counsel William Mokhari argued McBride had gone to court to
fight against something that hadn't happened as the minister had not taken a
decision to suspend him yet.
Nhleko is expected to file comprehensive heads of argument tomorrow and
Judge Hans Fabricius said he would give an order on Wednesday.
Crimes of the South African Police Service
Police in disabled parking row
March 2 2015 at 02:43pm
By ZAINUL DAWOOD
By ZAINUL DAWOOD
INDEPENDENT
MEDIA
Policewomen were confronted by disgruntled shoppers
in Pinetown.
Durban - Police who parked their vehicles in bays designated for
disabled and wheelchair-bound motorists came in for criticism at the weekend.
Irate shoppers at two shopping malls photographed police cars and vans
parked in these bays and put them up on Facebook, which prompted a huge public
outcry.
The parking bays have clear signboards warning motorists they were only
meant for the disabled.
At Sandy Centre in Pinetown, two policewomen were engaged in a heated
argument with motorists and shoppers on Friday afternoon.
Caylee Short said she was on the second floor of the building when she
heard people shouting.
“I peered down and saw the cop van in the disabled parking. A lady, who
was not disabled, parked them in to show that it was wrong. Two policewomen
came out of the shop and started shouting at her. I heard the one cop say to a
man ‘How do you know my brother or sister isn’t disabled?’”
The Facebook posting drew close to 800 “likes” in an hour and more than
100 comments.
Some people heaped praise on the driver who blocked the police in.
Others hurled cynical remarks at the policewomen.
Some pondered why they were using a state vehicle to shop. Others said
their wheels should have been clamped.
Then, on Sunday, Richard Leask photographed a police minibus parked in a
disabled bay at Dirk Spar in Sarnia.
“Cop gets out vehicle and moves the beacon out the way in order for the
driver to proceed into a paraplegic parking! Shocking,” he said.
The post also drew criticism from Facebook users.
Police spokesman Colonel Jay Naicker said the SAPS KwaZulu-Natal
management condemned irresponsible and inconsiderate conduct by the police
officers.
“We embrace the rights of disabled persons and infringement of their
rights as alleged cannot be tolerated. We will investigate these serious
allegations of misconduct. We wish to unconditionally express our apology to
the citizens affected and reiterate that such alleged conduct is in breach of
police code of conduct.
“The public is encouraged to bring to the attention of the management
any similar unacceptable conduct by the members of the SAPS for corrective and
disciplinary measures to be instituted,” Naicker said.
Daily News
Crimes of the South African Police Service
‘Wrong man’ shot by cops
March 4 2015 at 07:40am
By Karishma Dipa
By Karishma Dipa
Johannesburg - Police officers in plainclothes ambushed a man and shot
him three times in Orlando East, Soweto, in what they later said was a case of
mistaken identity.
Mduduzi Nkosi, who was unarmed, was shot twice in the leg and once in
the arm on Monday night by SA Police Service officers who mistook him for a
criminal.
He is now in the intensive care unit at Lesedi Private Hospital in
Diepkloof.
According to a witness who fears being named, Nkosi was sitting with a
friend in his Polo TSI at about 9pm.
When he decided to return home, his friend got out of the car and walked
towards his house.
But when Nkosi was about to drive off, he was allegedly cornered by a
group driving a Chevrolet.
The vehicle had no number plates fitted and did not have any lights on.
There was also no indication that the people inside were officers, as
they were wearing casual clothes and their vehicle was unmarked.
Instinctively, Nkosi assumed he was about to be hijacked and he reversed
his car, but the officers then allegedly started shooting at him with an R5
rifle.
Nkosi then took a detour, but the Chevrolet followed and cornered him
again.
A Johannesburg metro police department vehicle also arrived at the scene
and cornered Nkosi’s parked vehicle.
When he saw the officers, he realised that the men in the Chevrolet
might be police officers, and he got out of the car to surrender.
He told them that he had his driving licence and the car’s papers in the
boot, which would prove that he was not a criminal.
However, the officers allegedly gave no response and, instead, fired
three more shots at him.
The gunshots alerted residents, who came out of their houses to witness
the commotion.
The angered residents, who were unaware at the time that the men were
officers, asked why Nkosi was being shot at.
The officers then put their siren on and told them to return to their
houses “before they get hurt”.
Orlando police spokeswoman Captain Nomvula Mbense admitted that the
incident was a case of mistaken identity.
She said the fourth person who was in the Chevrolet was a murder suspect
and was helping the police to identify a man believed to be in possession of
illegal firearms.
The suspect identified Nkosi’s car as the place where the guns were
being kept, but the officers were unable to identify Nkosi as it was dark.
Mbense said the officers had to open fire because Nkosi had tried to
flee.
Nkosi’s sister, Nonhlanhla, said the way in which the matter had been
handled was unacceptable.
“He was unarmed and was not a threat to police,” she said.
“He even surrendered and they still kept shooting at him.”
She also questioned the way in which the police officers had handled the
crime scene.
“The officers removed the cartridges from the street and did not even
take pictures of any evidence at the scene,” said Nonhlanhla.
She said the police had not taken statements from anyone at the scene.
Nkosi’s family planned on taking the case to the Independent Police
Investigative Directorate.
“When we tried to open a case at the police station, the commander said
they were unable to investigate a matter which concerned officers,” said
Nonhlanhla.
karishma.dipa@inl.co.za
The Star
Crimes of the South African Police Service
Douglasdale cops in hot water again
THE STAR
File picture: Boxer Ngwenya
Johannesburg - Douglasdale police are investigating a case in which
officers allegedly refused to help a restaurant manager who wanted to lay a
charge against their colleague.
The manager took a video of the incident, which was posted online this
week by a user who goes by the name of Pmaros.
The amateurish video, which was posted on LiveLeak.com on Monday, shows
the officers refusing to open the case when the manager would not identify
himself at the police station.
According to LiveLeak, a customer at the restaurant refused to settle a
R175 bill and the manager called the police. When two Douglasdale police
officers arrived, they allegedly told him he could not open a case because R175
was too small an amount for the work that needed to be done.
The manager then asked the officers to identity themselves, but only one
of them did. The unidentified officer allegedly said the manager was drunk,
despite his offering to take a Breathalyser test.
When the manager went to the police station to try to open a case
against the officers, the captain on duty refused to provide the identity of
the unidentified officer. He also refused to identify himself.
On the video, the manager is heard questioning why his own identity is
needed in the matter, but the police fail to provide a substantial reason.
Justice Project South Africa chairman Howard Dembovsky said: “The
Douglasdale police station is the most appalling police station, in my view.
The station should be shut down and all the officers fired.”
The conduct of Douglasdale police officers was also condemned by
crime-fighting organisation eBlockwatch founder Andre Snyman.
“This is very disheartening for the dedicated police officers and the
Community Policing Forum members who work thanklessly to try to lift the
standard of policing at the police stations,” he said in the local newspaper,
the Fourways Review.
Crimes of the South African Police Service
Cop found with rhino horn granted bail
A police officer and two other people arrested for the illegal
possession of rhino horn are expected to make another appearance at the
Pretoria Magistrates’ Court next month after they were granted bail.
16 hours ago
A sting operation conducted by the Crime
Intelligence and Hawks officers led to the arrest of Captain Mandla Khumalo and
two of his accomplices at a mall in Irene, south of Pretoria, last week.
The 42-year-old officer, who is based at the
West Rand Crime Intelligence Unit, was reportedly on duty at the time of his
arrest, police said.Three rhino horns said to have been found in
the suspects’ possession were later confiscated.The trio appeared at the Pretoria
Magistrates’ Court on February 26, 2015, on charges of illegal possession of
rhino horn and were granted bail of R15 000 each.They are expected to appear again on April
23, 2015.In January, a police officer was arrested
after an undercover
rhino poaching sting in
Ubombo, KwaZulu-Natal.Warrant Officer Christopher Gumbi allegedly
approached two undercover officers posing as rhino poachers and robbed them of
two rhino horns.He was arrested soon afterwards and charged
with armed robbery, possession of rhino horn and defeating the ends of justice.- Caxton News Service
Crimes of the South African Police Service
Metro police’s driving
abilities questioned
Due to the amount of accidents involving metro police vehicles recently,
the driving abilities of the officers are being questioned. Reports say that
this is the third accident in two weeks involving the new vehicles given to the
metro police.
December 20, 2013
The newly issued metro
police vehicle that was involved in the accident on Monday.
The driving abilities of the metro police
personnel have once again been called into question after a metro police
vehicle was involved in yet another accident on Monday.According to Xander Loubser, spokesperson of
the Best Care Ambulance service, two vehicles were involved in an accident on
Monday morning at 09:15 on the corner of Hamilton and Madiba streets, one of
which was a metro police vehicle.Upon their arrival at the scene, it was
determined that neither the two metro police officers nor the civilian
sustained any injuries. The metro police vehicle involved was a new addition to
the fleet. Over 200 new vehicles were given to the Tshwane metro police earlier
this month. According to sources, this is the third accident in which these new
vehicles have been involved in the past two weeks.Most of the vehicles were issued to the
recently graduated metro police officers. It has, however, not been confirmed
whether the driver was also a recent graduate.In earlier reports, Rekord investigated the
amount of vehicles at the metro police station in Centurion. It was determined
that only three out of eight vehicles were in working condition. Even though it
has been promised by the executive mayor, Kgosientso Ramokgopa, that all the
regions will receive new vehicles, Centurion has not received any. There are
currently only two vehicles available for 20 officers on duty during a shift,
one of which is permanently deployed at the executive mayor’s residence in The
Reeds.
Crimes of the South African Police Service
‘Cop being sentenced should serve as a lesson'
Cornelius
Wessels was arrested, convicted and sentenced after accepting a R100 bribe to
smuggle drugs.
CAPE TOWN
- The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says an eight-year jail sentence
handed down to a former police officer sends a strong warning to corrupt law
enforcement officials.
Cornelius
Wessels was arrested, convicted and sentenced after accepting a R100 bribe to
smuggle drugs into holding cells at Cape Town central police station.
During
sentencing Advocate Esmeralda Johnson said corruption is difficult to detect
and a jail sentence is necessary to deter other “would be” corrupt public
officials.
In
November 2012, an undercover agent was arrested for possession of dagga in
order to setup the sting.
The next
part of the operation involved another policeman asking Wessels to handover a
container and a R100 to the arrested agent.
Wessels
delivered the container to the undercover policeman in custody, who then
exposed four bags of dagga.
Wessels
did not seize the dagga and was later paid the money by the policeman who gave
him the container.
He was
later arrested and the R100 note, with a special serial number, was found in
his pants.
(Edited
by Leeto M Khoza)
Crimes of the South African Police Service
Some people say there is no difference!
Man
harassed by Policemen or Thugs
Man harassed by Policemen or Thugs
February
23, 2015
I am a young
Asian Male. I reside in Hillcrest. On Thursday night 19 February 2015 at around
11pm I was on my way home after collecting a client from the airport and after
taking him to his hotel when I was pulled over by a SAPS patrol van occupied by
two black male Policemen.
This was along
Old Main road in Hillcrest. The men approached my vehicle and I was put through
a verbal sobriety test which I could only have passed as I do not drink
alcohol.
The Policeman
at my driver’s door said that he did not believe that I had not been drinking
and he ordered me from my vehicle. I noted immediately that neither of these
men had name badges.
The Policeman
who ordered me from my vehicle told me that he suspected that I had been
drinking and that because of this, he and his colleague were going to search my
vehicle which they duly did despite my protest.
They literally
turned my vehicle inside out, even going through my personal things which
included my guitar case and sheet music. Finding nothing, I was told that I was
going to be placed into custody and taken in the back of the Police van to the
Police station whilst the other Policeman would drive my car.
I argued that I
was sober and I had not even been subjected to a breathalyzer test. Still, they
were adamant that I was to be arrested.
In desperation
I warned these two Policemen that my Father is a personal friend of a
high-ranking Policeman based at the Provincial Office KZN and that I was going
to have this incident thoroughly investigated.
With that, the
Policeman who had done most of the talking said “You think you are Clever? You
can go. We will let you off this time”.
Let me off for
what?
I hadn’t done
anything wrong.
Was this a
shake-down for money? Were these real Policemen? How many other people has this
happened to? Young people, alone at night. Naive of the law. Intimidated by the
uniform.
Please warn
others to take note of this and if these are bona-fide Policemen, then they are
bringing the good name of the SAPS into disrepute. If they are just thugs then
the public should be made aware.
Crimes of the South African Police Service
Former
Hawks captain arrested for R107 million heist.
A former Hawks captain has
been arrested for his alleged involvement the MpumalangaStandard Bank, Barclays (First
National Bank) and Volkskas (SBV) heist of R107 million.Brigadier
Hangwani Mulaudzi, spokesperson for the Hawks, said an investigating team,
assisted by members of the Task Force, arrested Bhekani Welcome Gcabashe at his
home in Bronkhorstspruit on Wednesday in connection with his alleged
involvement in the robbery.“Another
team comprising the Technical Operations Management Section’s operatives also
hit one of his lavish houses in Belfast. In both operations, members managed to
seize items which would assist in the investigation,” he said.Gcabashe,
a former captain who was previously attached to the Mpumalanga Organised Crime
Unit, resigned in 2011. He made a brief appearance in the Witbank Magistrate’s
Court on Thursday and was granted R20 000 bail on condition that he handed
over his passport, that he would not interfere with witnesses and reported at
the Bronkhorstspruit police station on a weekly basis.Nearly
22 people have been arrested in connection with this heist since the
investigation started last year.“During
April 2014, it was alleged that an armed group raided an SBV depot in Witbank
and stole almost R107 million after overpowering two guards and
robbing them of their firearms,” Mulaudzi said.The
guards were kidnapped while the armed men continued disabling the alarm system
and cutting open one of the safes with cutting torches.Mulaudzi
said the armed men allegedly kidnapped two guards who were supposed to relieve
two others the following morning.“The
four guards were allegedly forced to drink a tainted concoction before they
were dumped next to the Kromdraai road in Witbank. All the suspects,
including Gcabashe, will appear in the High Court on 10 June,” he said.
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Crimes of the South African Police Service
Police in disabled parking row
March 2 2015 at 02:43pm
By ZAINUL DAWOOD
By ZAINUL DAWOOD
INDEPENDENT
MEDIA
Policewomen were confronted by disgruntled shoppers
in Pinetown.
Durban - Police who parked their vehicles in bays designated for
disabled and wheelchair-bound motorists came in for criticism at the weekend.
Irate shoppers at two shopping malls photographed police cars and vans
parked in these bays and put them up on Facebook, which prompted a huge public
outcry.
The parking bays have clear signboards warning motorists they were only
meant for the disabled.
At Sandy Centre in Pinetown, two policewomen were engaged in a heated
argument with motorists and shoppers on Friday afternoon.
Caylee Short said she was on the second floor of the building when she
heard people shouting.
“I peered down and saw the cop van in the disabled parking. A lady, who
was not disabled, parked them in to show that it was wrong. Two policewomen
came out of the shop and started shouting at her. I heard the one cop say to a
man ‘How do you know my brother or sister isn’t disabled?’”
The Facebook posting drew close to 800 “likes” in an hour and more than
100 comments.
Some people heaped praise on the driver who blocked the police in.
Others hurled cynical remarks at the policewomen.
Some pondered why they were using a state vehicle to shop. Others said
their wheels should have been clamped.
Then, on Sunday, Richard Leask photographed a police minibus parked in a
disabled bay at Dirk Spar in Sarnia.
“Cop gets out vehicle and moves the beacon out the way in order for the
driver to proceed into a paraplegic parking! Shocking,” he said.
The post also drew criticism from Facebook users.
Police spokesman Colonel Jay Naicker said the SAPS KwaZulu-Natal
management condemned irresponsible and inconsiderate conduct by the police
officers.
“We embrace the rights of disabled persons and infringement of their
rights as alleged cannot be tolerated. We will investigate these serious
allegations of misconduct. We wish to unconditionally express our apology to
the citizens affected and reiterate that such alleged conduct is in breach of
police code of conduct.
“The public is encouraged to bring to the attention of the management
any similar unacceptable conduct by the members of the SAPS for corrective and
disciplinary measures to be instituted,” Naicker said.
Daily News
Crimes of the South African Police Service
Douglasdale cops in hot water again
THE STAR
Johannesburg - Douglasdale police are investigating a case in which
officers allegedly refused to help a restaurant manager who wanted to lay a
charge against their colleague.
The manager took a video of the incident, which was posted online this
week by a user who goes by the name of Pmaros.
The amateurish video, which was posted on LiveLeak.com on Monday, shows
the officers refusing to open the case when the manager would not identify
himself at the police station.
According to LiveLeak, a customer at the restaurant refused to settle a
R175 bill and the manager called the police. When two Douglasdale police
officers arrived, they allegedly told him he could not open a case because R175
was too small an amount for the work that needed to be done.
The manager then asked the officers to identity themselves, but only one
of them did. The unidentified officer allegedly said the manager was drunk,
despite his offering to take a Breathalyser test.
When the manager went to the police station to try to open a case
against the officers, the captain on duty refused to provide the identity of
the unidentified officer. He also refused to identify himself.
On the video, the manager is heard questioning why his own identity is
needed in the matter, but the police fail to provide a substantial reason.
Justice Project South Africa chairman Howard Dembovsky said: “The
Douglasdale police station is the most appalling police station, in my view.
The station should be shut down and all the officers fired.”
The conduct of Douglasdale police officers was also condemned by
crime-fighting organisation eBlockwatch founder Andre Snyman.
“This is very disheartening for the dedicated police officers and the
Community Policing Forum members who work thanklessly to try to lift the
standard of policing at the police stations,” he said in the local newspaper,
the Fourways Review.
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