Seven SAPS officers arrested by the JMPD Tactical Reaction Unit on October 24 last year for allegedly extorting and kidnapping a suspect face further court delays.

The officers allegedly demanded R5 000 from the man, who was allegedly found with gold-refining materials and gold-bearing soil, before increasing the demand to R30 000.

The case was postponed for a fifth time on September 14 in the Booysens Magistrate’s Court after the state was still without key documents required to finalise the charges against all seven accused.

Defence attorney Ms Pillay wanted to understand the exact charges against each accused.

Public prosecutor Ms Makhohliso told the court that the senior public prosecutor needed to confirm the charges on the charge sheet as correct and final.

Magistrate Vele then stood the case down for the senior public prosecutor to appear in court.

After a lengthy delay, the senior public prosecutor informed Makhohliso that the charges were finalised in terms of extortion, kidnapping and possession of illegal gold-bearing soil.

However, the lab report confirming the soil indeed contained gold needed to be attached to the original case file, which was not done.

Makhohliso then requested a postponement for the office of the senior public prosecutor to attach the report to the original case file.

“The case has been left without this report for months now. Clerical errors are unacceptable when dealing with legal matters,” said Magistrate Vele.

“A case that was supposed to move forward and that could have potentially serious consequences for law enforcement officials has now dragged on for another week,” he continued.

The matter was postponed to October 7.

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