Cop in trouble after releasing GBV suspect on warning

A man has been arrested after a case of assault GBH was opened in 2018 in Pretoria West as police launch an investigation into the manner in which the case was handled.

This after a woman shared a video on social media accusing some South African Police Service (SAPS) officers of failing to help her because of their admiration of her alleged abuser.

The woman also complained that she had to drive to a police station outside her region because the one closer to her was closed and couldn’t help as a result.

“Do you see my face, South Africans? I am here at the Silverton Police Station, where I opened a case of assault. My abuser is roaming the streets as we speak. The police did nothing to hep us. When we walked in here they were grovelling at him like a king and I knew something was going to happen. I opened multiple cases reporting this person making my life a living hell. The police are not helping me, they’re waiting for me to die. No one can defend us, the people who are supposed to be protecting us are the people who are exposing us to this abuse,” she says in the video.

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“Last night I drove to Mamelodi Police Station and it was closed with no one availing themselves. I had to drive from Mamelodi to Silverton, which is not in our district. I opened a case in the early hours of this morning and they kept on calling and begging him to come to the police station. They wouldn’t let me open a case until they spoke to the person they grovel to, the king. Now I am at Silverton police station. What do I do now?”

According to Brigadier Brenda Muridili, the suspect was arrested on Sunday for one of the assault cases opened in 2018, and is expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

The case docket and the arrested suspect were transferred by the Silverton police to SAPS Mamelodi for further investigation as the assault allegedly occurred in Mamelodi.

While the detective in Mamelodi who was allocated the case charged the 46-year-old suspect with assault, they, however, released the suspect on a warning to appear in court on 30 December 2021, said Muridili.

“The Station Commander has also instituted an internal disciplinary investigation into the detective member that released the assault suspect on warning and failed to liaise with the complainant.”

Preliminary investigations also revealed that the Mamelodi Police Station was closed due to decontamination as there was a case of Covid-19 that was reported.

The Community Service Centre was operating from the back entrance of the station.

“The Station Commander Brigadier Matji, has apologised for any inconvenience caused with regards to the closing of the police station and he has committed to ensuring that the next time the station has to be decontaminated, there will be clear and visible signage to direct clients to the place where the Community Service Centre will be operating.”