WARD 66 councillor, Zoë Solomon, has vehemently denied claims that she is under police investigation following allegations that she signed a proof of address (POA) document that contained falsified information which supposedly helped a criminal obtain bail.

Also read: Zoe reflects on two-year journey as ward councillor

According to Solomon, no probe into her actions exists on file, and the matter was laid to rest. She also pointed out that the matter wouldn’t escalate any further.

“I am not being probed. It was stopped almost immediately. The DA is fully aware of the issue and has allowed us to caucus on how to avoid this happening to anyone again,” she said.

Solomon explained that the normal practice for the issuance of a POA involved applicants bringing an ID and other supporting documentation such as a lease agreement, a landlord’s letter or an affidavit.

“It is not the duty of the councillor to physically check the home, but it is procedural to have documentation that supports the applicant’s request. The end user has their own procedure to follow. I issue the POA and that is the extent of my involvement in the process,” she said.

She also referred to The Criminal Procedures Second Amendment Act, commonly known as the “bail law,” which provides stringent conditions for granting bail for crimes classified as serious offences.

Also read: Alleged drug dealer granted bail

“The Act lists very serious offences (schedule 6 offences) which include murder, rape, armed robbery and vehicle hijacking and makes it very difficult for people who are accused of these offences to get bail. The accused will have to prove that exceptional circumstances exist before bail is granted. For schedule 5 offences like robbery with aggravating circumstances, drug-dealing, arms-dealing, corruption, fraud, theft or forgery of large amounts of money, the onus will be on the accused to prove that he/she should get bail,” she said.

Solomon denied reports in the media that she had facilitated a bail application. “I made an effort to contact the family member who took the POA. The address belongs to the father of the accused. The accused confirmed he lives there. He even wrote an affidavit to attest to it and apologised to me for what I have been put through,” she said.

Solomon re-pledged her commitment to serving the Community of The Bluff with integrity. “I have worked tirelessly for this community, adhering to all protocols in my role. I categorically deny any suggestion that I would defeat the ends of justice,” she said.

For more Southlands Sun news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter and get news delivered straight to your inbox.