Blue light 8: Officer traumatised by video, denies assault
Eight VIP Protection officers attached to Deputy President Paul Mashatile's security detail made their first appearance in the Randburg Magistrates Court on Monday.
Earlier this month, the group were captured on video allegedly assaulting the occupants of a blue VW Polo on the side N1 Highway, near Fourways, which prompted the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) investigation that led to their arrest on Sunday.
One of the accused, Shadrack Kojoana took to the stand where he told the court the incident occurred after the victims' car was driving too close to the ‘main car’ at a high speed – implying Mashatile was in the vicinity.
“As it was approaching the main car. The motor vehicle that I was in is supposed to protect number two of the country. Then we shielded the Polo getting to the main car and tried to push it away back to the third lane. But, instead of going it [the Polo] started slowing down.”
Kojoana testified that the deputy president had left the scene, and when they arrived at his Midrand home 40 minutes later, they reported the incident to their commander.
He said the video footage, captured by a civilian, did not show the events leading up to the altercation, adding that it was their duty as police officers they had to ‘contain’ the situation.
The accused admitted to forcing one of the male occupants out of the car and ordering him to ‘lie down’, before restraining him with his foot. But he denies there was an assault.
Kojoana said he only got to see the video four days after the incident, and that it had “traumatised” him.
The state said it would oppose bail for Kojoana and his co-accused – Johannes Mampuru, Joseph Mofokeng, Harmans Ramokhonami, Phineas Boshielo, Churchill Mkhize, Aggrie Rambau and Moses Tshidada.
The group remained in police custody after their case was postponed to Wednesday for further hearing.
WATCH: Accused 1 tells the court that he pulled a male occupant out of the vehicle after the only female occupant opened the car. He denies the car window was smashed for the accused to gain access: “I told him lay down”. #VIPprotection pic.twitter.com/9em9TUBt1l
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) July 24, 2023
WAS PAUL MASHATILE THERE?
The Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga said they would be pushing for answers from Mashatile.
“I think South Africans have been lied to and we are going to be demanding, even from a Parliamentary perspective, that the truth be told.
“Indeed, if the deputy president lied to us and concealed a crime that is an indictment on the second citizen of this country,” he says.
At the time, Mashatile’s office released a statement saying he was aware of the incident but said he was not at the scene when it occurred.
