Eight SAPS VIP Protection officers who were attached to Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s security detail will spend Christmas with their loved ones despite facing serious charges including assault and pointing a firearm at someone.
The officers appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court today and their matter was postponed to May 6 after the State asked for time to conduct further investigations.
The disgraced officers were recorded assaulting a driver and passengers on the N1 near Fourways in July.
They were suspended by their employer amid revelations that they had been charged with several counts of assault, causing malicious damage to property and unlawfully pointing a firearm at someone. They were granted R10 000 bail in August.
It is understood that they are back at work.
The State said it was ready to go ahead with the trial.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said outside the court that the NPA believed it had adequate evidence to place the matter in court.
As the suspects were back at work, Mjonondwane said the prosecution did not have any information about the accused having interfered with witnesses. She said the issue of them going back to work was between them and their employer.
The State opposed bail in July, saying that the witness who published the video had received threats.
She confirmed that the NPA was investigating a number of cases involving government officials.
“In our statistics as NPA, we record matters against government officials as a whole. Most of the matters against government officials will be that of corruption.
“We can confirm that matters against police officials are on the increase. These matters are dealt with from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions where there is a deputy that oversees them. They are authorised from that office, that is the strategy we are using as NPA in dealing with this matters, and to show the seriousness that we take these matters,” said Mjonondwane.
The Star