Laudium ward councillor, CPF members arrested by local police
Community members gathered outside the police station to protest the councillor’s arrest.
A Pretoria ward councillor was arrested last night, March 15, along with two Laudium CPF members.
Community members gathered outside Laudium police station last night to protest the arrest of ward 61 councillor Naeem Patel, CPF deputy chairperson Zahid Zaman and CPF exco member Paul Bennet.
Police spokesperson, Sergeant Simon Chokoe said the three men were arrested on charges of kidnapping, pointing of a firearm, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and theft.
The incident occurred in the early morning of Sunday, March 12.
“It is alleged that the victim was walking along Taj Street in the early hours of the morning when five motor vehicles stopped in front of him.
“One of the drivers got out and asked him what he was doing in the street at that time of the early morning.
“It is alleged that the victim responded by saying he was walking home,” read a Laudium police statement.
A man who identified himself as a Community Policing Forum member then allegedly instructed the victim into one of the vehicles.
The man was then taken to the councillor’s office at the Laudium Civic Centre, where he was assaulted, while the assailants accused him of stealing electricity meter boxes.
The man alleged that one person pointed a firearm at him and that he was later taken to the bush next to the Laudium swimming pool to pick up meter boxes. He was taken back to Laudium Civic Centre were he alleged he was assaulted further.
Chokoe said the SAPS are investigating.
Reports claim that the man was held for over 12 hours.
This morning, the arrested community leaders were released on R1 000 bail each, and would appear in court, according to a statement released on behalf of the councillor.
Ward 61 @CityTshwane councillor @naeempatelSA has asked residents to leave the Laudium @SAPoliceService – He and two CPF members were arrested earlier today. Video @LaudiumToday https://t.co/S9clHZ73nO pic.twitter.com/PWdEQ1Ehpy
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) March 15, 2023
“We would like to thank the community for coming out in numbers to support us while we were detained by SAPS at the Laudium police station,” the statement read.
According to the CPF chairperson, Shaheen Wahab, Patel and the other CPF members had attempted to make a “citizen’s arrest” after a man was alleged to have stolen electricity meters.
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