Some government officials working at the Piet Koornhof Building are accusing the police for letting a suspect they have caught go free.
According to the officials at the well-known building, housing different government departments said there has been complaints of missing items at the building recently.
They said they were losing items like cell phones and laptops were missing at the first floor building in the women’s toilets.
One of the officials said she was at the toilet holding her cell phone and when looking up, saw a suspect looking at her, she screamed and the suspect ran away. The suspect was wearing a T-shirt and was caught by the security officials and found holding a T-shirt after he had changed into something else. He was searched and found with one of the cell phones and when asked about the other missing phones he is said to have confessed and told them that he has sold them at a foreigner shop owner (a Pakistani).
Piet Koornhof Building housing from the government departments. Some officials alleged that they have been missing items through theft and they later caught a suspect who was allegedly let free by the police.
Police were called and he was arrested and taken to a police station by the two officers. Before that one of the lady police officers is said to have said that the reason why cell phones were stolen was because there was no ceiling at the ladies toilets. The other officials who had their cell phones stolen wanted to accompany the officers to the police station to open cases but allegedly they were told not to do so by the two officers.
At the police station the complainant said she was asked about the phone and one of the police officers told them to either leave the phone at the station as an exhibit so that a case can be opened or let the suspect have the phone and leave. How ever the complainant said she needed the phone as she has provided all the details showing that the phone belonged to her even the phone box and other details.
The ladies toilet in the Piet Koornhof Building where government officials claimed that they lost some of their items like cell phones.
The officer said they will let the suspect decide whether to give back the phone to the complainant or take it. At first the suspect said he was going to take the phone but he was told that the phone does not belong to him by one of the security officers, he let the complainant have the phone and was allowed to go free without being charged with all the evidence that he was suspected of being the one who has stolen phones from the building. Some people have also confirmed seeing him at or near the building several times.
The officials said they were not happy about the conduct of the police officers.
“How can we trust our police if they are able to let a suspect decide over a stolen cell phone whether to give back to a complainant or keep it? We made their job easy by arresting a suspect and they decided to let him go, even after he had confessed, what more must we do? We were really frustrated by the conduct of the police officers and their altitude,” one of the officials said.
Sergeant David Ratau of Witbank Police Station advised the officials to come to the station and open a case against the police and they must ask for the station commander, Brigadier Delisile Motha. Alternatively he advised them to ask for Colonel Mhlanga or they can contact him.
ALSO READ:
Four police arrested for corruption
Strike Mokwena wanted by police
