Poaching suspects claim they were assaulted by police

WHITE RIVER – Three SANParks employees who were coincidentally apprehended in the Kruger National Park (KNP) on Sunday, briefly appeared in the local Magistrate’s Court today on poaching related charges. Two of them claim that they were brutally assaulted by police during their arrest.

Mr Lawrence Baloyi (42) – section ranger of Lower Sabie, Mr André Mabunda (43) – a field guide and Mr Shakes Baloyi (46) – a gardener, appeared before Magistrate Mr De Wet Oosthuizen. It was a dramatic court appearance as Mabunda and Shakes were struggling to walk from the holding cells to the dock. They sat down immediately and held their heads in their hands.

Their defence attorney, Ms Hettie Groenewald, indicated that they will testify that they had been assaulted by police officials during their arrest. “They are in severe pain and require further medical attention. They have been at the hospital already,” she said.

Senior state advocate Ms Isabet Erwee then indicated to the court that she is aware of the allegations and that the suspects had been advised to open criminal charges against the relevant officials.

Groenewald and Erwee had a disagreement as Groenewald wanted the case to stand down so that the accused could visit a district physician in order for a J88 to be completed. A J88 is an official police document used to indicate injuries on a victim or accused.

Erwee stated that the accused had no visible marks on their faces or hands on which Groenewald said that she was not a doctor. She insisted that they visit a physician in order for a J88 to be completed. Oosthuizen asked Mabunda and Shakes to look up and concurred that they had no visible marks, but agreed that the matter be postponed so that they could get the necessary medical attention.

The case against them was postponed to October 3.