Cape Town – South African Police Minister Bheki Cele has reportedly been ordered by the South Gauteng High Court to pay R275 000 in damages to a man who was wrongfully detained.
According to News24, Boccaccio Bhekumuzi Nhlapo hauled the minister to court in November 2020 after he was unlawfully arrested in November 2019 when police officers came to his house looking for someone called Thabiso.
Nhlapho reportedly told the police that he was not the person they were looking for and even provided them with his identification documents to prove it.
The police searched his house as well as his car, and further asked him for a R10 000 bribe before apprehending him.
He was reportedly kept in holding cells at Krugersdorp’s Kagiso police station for two days before being released.
His car was also impounded.
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“The plaintiff testified about the conditions of the police holding cells. He explained that there were 14 or 15 people in the cells. The occupants had to sleep on the floor with dirty blankets. There was no door separating the cell from the toilet and inadequate ventilation. There were only small windows,” said Judge Susannah Cowen as quoted by the report.
A Times Live report said that the police tried to dodge Nhlapho’s demand of R275 000 on damages and instead wanted to give him R80 000.
But Cowen said: “The award must reflect the collective condemnation of our society of conduct of this sort which goes beyond illegality and seriously undermines the rule of law, corroding the systems we rely upon to protect us”.
Cowen continued: “This occurred in a manner which entailed sustained harassment and an abuse of power by the persons entrusted to protect our society, understandably resulting in a profound loss of trust of the police and a sense of abuse.”
Cele was ordered to pay R275 000 in damages, as well as 10% interest from the date of demand to the date of payment and the costs of the High Court application, News24 reported.
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Picture: Facebook/ PhakamaMthwaka1
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Compiled by Sinothando Siyolo
