AfriForum helps east restaurant owner to lay charges against police
When police returned confiscated alcohol stock to the restaurant, it is alleged that some of the bottle's content was replaced with tea.
AfriForum’s private prosecution unit is helping a Pretoria restaurant owner to lay charges against several police officers at the Garsfontein police station for “illegally” confiscating alcohol worth thousands of rands.
The officers claimed that Hennie’s restaurant was illegally selling liquor during lockdown level 4, which restricted the sale of alcohol.
“The officers unlawfully arrested restaurant manager Atrayo Nolte, alleging that he served alcohol to clients while the sales of alcohol were illegal due to lockdown regulations,” AfriForum said in a statement.
“The confiscated alcohol was kept at the Garsfontein police station for several days, even after the national prosecuting authority dropped all charges against Nolte.”
The matter was thrown out of court after the restaurant argued that it sold non-alcoholic gin and that its alcohol stock was stored safely in one of its storerooms.
AfriForum said when the alcohol was returned to the restaurant after the owner’s first consultation with its private prosecution unit, some of the stock was missing.
“Some of the bottles’ contents were also replaced with tea.”
The restaurant is now laying criminal charges of fraud and theft.
Advocate Gerrie Nel, of AfriForum, said this was one of several cases his unit had been involved in resulting from police officers abusing their power.
READ MORE: Pretoria restaurant to sue police for arrest over ‘non-alcoholic’ beverage
“Several victims have contacted us for assistance after being treated unfairly and unreasonably by the police,” he said.
“What makes this very shocking, is that there seems to be no consequences for police officers guilty of criminal conduct. This cannot be tolerated.”
Nel said the AfriForum’s private prosecution unit would monitor the police’s handling of the theft charges closely to ensure that the guilty parties were held accountable.
Police are yet to comment on an enquiry sent to them.
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