Impound assault-linked Tshwane metro cops granted bail

Eleven Tshwane metro police department (TMPD) officers linked to the alleged assault of a Pretoria resident were granted bail after they appeared in court this week.

The officers, two women and nine men are accused of assaulting Bheki Sheba at a metro police vehicle pound.

The accused are: Richard Masilela (45), Lebogang Lekgoadi (35), Busana Nhlanhla (43), Humbule Khadammbi (35), Clemens Makabene (37), Lefalela Nelson Matuba (44), Kabelo Lenyai (29), Siphamandla Sibanyoni (29), Tshikani Dennis Valoyi (38), Phangani Chauke (34) and Edgar Chuene (41).

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said 10 of the officers were released on bail of R2 000 on Monday, while one was released on bail of R3 000 on Tuesday.

“Richard Masilela’s bail application proceeded on Tuesday because he has a pending matter involving corruption at the Bronkhorstspruit magistrate’s court,” she said.

Sheba, and two of his colleagues, were allegedly assaulted by the TMPD officers at the vehicle impound lot when he wanted to pay for and retrieve his impounded vehicle.

According to Sheba, he and his colleagues were standing outside the pound when the officers arrived and allegedly began assaulting them with sjamboks.

“After [the assault], they allowed them in to pay for the vehicle and released it,” Mahanjana said.

In an interview with Rekord, Sheba said he and his colleagues were threatened by one of the officers who received the payments at the impound.

“We were complaining to her about why the process was taking so long when she said we were complaining too much and were stressing her out.

“That was when she said they (the TMPD) were going to ‘fix’ us,” he said.

They had asked a security guard on the premises to find out what the delay was as they had already been waiting for around 25 minutes.

Earlier this week, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate’s (Ipid) spokesperson Grace Langa explained that while the officers were arrested last Friday, 15 October, they appeared in court on Monday for their formal bail applications after a failed attempt at securing police bail on Saturday afternoon.

“They appeared on a charge of assault GBH (with intent to cause grievous bodily harm),” she said.

Last week, Langa expressed disapproval at Ipid having to “hunt” for the officers “even though they know they know themselves” and had hoped that they would have presented themselves to Ipid to tell their side of the story as they ought to “understand the law very well”.

Meanwhile, TMPD spokesperson Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba said their internal disciplinary processes were still ongoing.

“We will announce the next step in due course,” he said.

The matter was postponed to Friday, December 3, for further investigation.