Western Cape police have denied that 10 suspects who were arrested and later released without being charged were made to lie on the ground for hours while waiting for Police Minister Fikile Mbalula to arrive.
Police also denied allegations that the suspects‚ who were arrested outside the Huguenot tunnel and Laingsburg‚ were tortured or assaulted while being questioned.
They also said that at no stage was Mbalula involved in the interviewing process.
Saying police wished to set the record straight‚ spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said the operations in question were intelligence-led‚ multidisciplinary SAPS vehicle checkpoints.
“As it would be the case in similar operations‚ the suspects were subdued in an effort to search and minimise risk. They were subsequently transported to Cape Town Central police station where they were interviewed by detectives. At no stage was the Minister of Police involved in the interviewing process as that is an operational exercise reserved for SAPS members. It is also devoid of truth that the suspects were made to lie on the ground for hours while waiting for the Minister of Police to arrive. The Minister‚ who had been in Cape Town during the week‚ visited operations including the one outside the Huguenot tunnel on Friday evening 06 October 2017.
“The ‘arrests’ in question were lawfully executed in terms of Section 40 (1)(b) of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 and SAPS Standing Order (G) 341 which give authority for any person who is reasonably suspected of having committed a Schedule 1 offence to be arrested. The suspects were interviewed within the prescribed period stipulated in the Criminal Procedure Act‚ which is 48 hours. They were subsequently released on Sunday‚ 08 October 2017. This office further wishes to refute allegations of torture and assault during the period the suspects were being questioned‚” Potelwa said in a statement.
She added: “The Provincial SAPS wishes to reiterate its commitment to fighting serious and violent crimes in the Western Cape hence our members are still hard at work pursuing leads that could lead to the arrest of those who carried out the murders in Marikana.”
Western Cape police deny suspects were forced to lie on ground for hours until Mbalula arrived
Police also denied allegations that the suspects‚ who were arrested outside the Huguenot tunnel and Laingsburg‚ were tortured or assaulted while being questioned.
They also said that at no stage was Mbalula involved in the interviewing process.
Saying police wished to set the record straight‚ spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said the operations in question were intelligence-led‚ multidisciplinary SAPS vehicle checkpoints.
“As it would be the case in similar operations‚ the suspects were subdued in an effort to search and minimise risk. They were subsequently transported to Cape Town Central police station where they were interviewed by detectives. At no stage was the Minister of Police involved in the interviewing process as that is an operational exercise reserved for SAPS members. It is also devoid of truth that the suspects were made to lie on the ground for hours while waiting for the Minister of Police to arrive. The Minister‚ who had been in Cape Town during the week‚ visited operations including the one outside the Huguenot tunnel on Friday evening 06 October 2017.
“The ‘arrests’ in question were lawfully executed in terms of Section 40 (1)(b) of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 and SAPS Standing Order (G) 341 which give authority for any person who is reasonably suspected of having committed a Schedule 1 offence to be arrested. The suspects were interviewed within the prescribed period stipulated in the Criminal Procedure Act‚ which is 48 hours. They were subsequently released on Sunday‚ 08 October 2017. This office further wishes to refute allegations of torture and assault during the period the suspects were being questioned‚” Potelwa said in a statement.
She added: “The Provincial SAPS wishes to reiterate its commitment to fighting serious and violent crimes in the Western Cape hence our members are still hard at work pursuing leads that could lead to the arrest of those who carried out the murders in Marikana.”
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