SEVEN policemen and three civilians, accused of assaulting and extorting money from a Joburg businessman, appeared in the Randburg Magistrates Court on Thursday, 7 July.
Four of the 10 accused brought in their applications for bail while the rest were to apply on Monday, 11 July.
The group allegedly drove to the businessman’s house in Bryanston, where they allegedly assaulted him and pepper-sprayed his family before driving off with him in the car. They allegedly demanded R300 000 from him for a fraud file to go away.
In the process, he was allegedly forced to withdraw R15 000, that he then allegedly gave to the cops.
Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) officer Andries Tshoke was one of those who applied for bail. And his Superintendent Phineas Monyama was called to testify on whether he knew about the operation he took part in when he allegedly committed the offences he was charged with.
Monyama told the court that he knew about the operation and had given Tshoke the green light.
“I spoke to him at the department. Tshoke said there was a job at crime intelligence. They didn’t tell us what they were going to do, and I gave him permission to go.”
State prosecutor Sibongile Mncengana asked why he gave permission for an operation he knew nothing about.
“That’s how we work with crime intelligence. They don’t tell us what they are doing. They just request manpower. That is just how we work. We only see what it is about after the job is done,” he replied. He further said they would send him the report of the job and he would share it with the entire JMPD.
The state also shared that one of the accused had a previous conviction from 2011, that he failed to disclose in court.
Mncengana said: “It was the duty of the accused to disclose the previous conviction because the state has proof.”
She also said applicants were not suitable for bail as they might interfere with processes. The matter was postponed to Monday to give those who didn’t apply for bail a chance to do so.
