Woman gets R200k for 3 days in jail

2012-06-28 12:10

(File, AP)

Pretoria - The South African Police Service has been told to pay a woman R200 000 after she was unnecessarily locked up for three days on the basis of accusations her ex-boyfriend made.

The Pretoria News reported that her son and father would receive R25 000 each as they too were locked up overnight.

The court said police should not simply have accepted the statement made by Gabor Victor Cost, who claimed that he had been the victim of attempted murder, robbery and theft. 

The court said it was clear this was a domestic dispute and a civil matter. The case against Roslind Fletcher-Morgan, her father Chris Morgan and son, Gareth Schutte, was thrown out in court.

Her ordeal started with the break-up of her relationship with Cost. Her father and son helped her move things from his house, and were assisted by a friend who at one stage slapped Cost, but was then restrained by the others. 

Cost later laid charges of robbery and accused his ex of stealing his car, even though she was a part owner and he knew she had it, said the court. Police officers also arrested Morgan and her family although Cost never claimed they had assaulted him. 

The judge said police had clearly not applied their minds to the case and awarded damages to the plaintiffs.