A DURBAN motorist is accusing a Metro police officer for indiscriminately fining him after he was pulled over by the officer, on Berea Road just before Botanical Gardens Road and fined for having a “cell phone held in hand or any part of the body.”
The man claims the officer had not seen him holding a phone and had been very intimidating and refused to listen to him when he pulled him over.
“First he said that I was talking on the cellphone, but changed after I challenged him to check my phone for calls either made or received or messages. I told him he was mistaken and that I had not used my cellphone since before I left home that morning. He refused to check the phone and said that the phone was in my hand and that I had dropped it when I saw him. The phone was actually in a small top pocket of my shirt and under my glasses and had been there since I left home. It was not touched at all until after I was stopped when, in front of the officer, I took a photo of him. He became very angry and forced me to delete it and said if I didn’t he would have me arrested. This is a form of oppression and must be addressed by the authorities. It is all very well for me to go to court, but is such an unnecessary waste of time and resources. Perhaps it is an easy way for the council to raise revenue,” he said.
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Meanwhile, Metro Police spokesperson Senior Superintendent, Parboo Sewpersad said the officer involved had submitted a report regarding the allegations. He said the officer’s version differed substantially from that of the motorist.
“As there is a charge pending against the officer and this matter has been set down for court, further comment at this stage would be inappropriate. I will await the outcome of the charge against him and be guided by the comments of the Magistrate in deciding on any further action if deemed necessary,” said Sewpersad.
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