'VIP cops have history of terror'
2008-11-19 16:01
Camperdown - VIP protection unit members have a history of terrorising KwaZulu-Natal motorists and are not automatically entitled to bail, Magistrate Thys Taljaard said in the Camperdown Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.
"Police officers who deem themselves to be above the law are not automatically entitled to bail," he said, refusing bail to Constable Hlanganani Nxumalo, 28.
"There's a history of VIP members terrorising road users and having no regard for the law. Can one really blame the press for referring to them as the blue light gang of KZN?"
Nxumalo, of the Alexandra Road police barracks in Pietermaritzburg, allegedly shot out the tyre of a Mazda on the N3 near Camperdown on Saturday morning. The driver of the car lost control, veered into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with a bakkie. There were six people in each car. Eight of them were injured.
The court had earlier heard that Nxumalo was not attending to any emergency when the alleged incident happened.
However, he was in a hurry to pick up KwaZulu-Natal social development MEC Meshack Radebe, who he was tasked with protecting.
Modus operandi
Handing down his ruling, Taljaard said: "If the evidence is accepted by the trial court, I have no doubt a conviction will follow.
"This incident is what would appear to be a modus operandi used by them."
He pointed out that those assigned to VIP duties were police officers like Nxumalo and that "these are allegations against the very people meant to uphold the law".
He said Nxumalo had failed to prove that it would be in the interests of justice to be released on bail - as required by law.
Nxumalo had been charged with eight counts of attempted murder and one count of malicious damage to property.
Investigating officer Inspector Jerome Mngadi told the court: "According to the driver (of the VW Golf) they were supposed to report to Radebe, but then they got a call saying that they must be there (earlier) at his house in Waterfall (near Durban) at 08:30."
"They were rushing because they were late. There was no emergency," he testified.
State prosecutor Rakesh Keshurpersad said Nxumalo could face up to 40 years imprisonment if convicted.
The matter was postponed to December 11.
- SAPA