Journalist opened an intimidation case against Scharnick after he allegedly confronted him at Madlanga commission
James Stuart Scharnick. Picture: @misumuzi_4/ X
A Sowetan journalist has opened a case of intimidation against suspended deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya’s ally Stuart James Scharnick, leading to a dramatic arrest outside the Madlanga commission.
The South African Police Service (Saps) nabbed Scharnick outside Brigitte Mabandla College in Pretoria after he allegedly confronted Herman Moloi during the tea adjournment on Thursday.
Saps arrest Scharnick outside commission for intimidation
The journalist was doing his job and taking visuals at the Madlanga commission on the second day of suspended MP and National Coloured Congress (NCC) leader Fadiel Adams’ testimony.
Moloi explained to the SABC that journalists were taking pictures of Scharnick because he had approached Adams, and when he walked away, he asked the journalist why he was taking a video of him without his permission.
“I’m telling him that we are authorised to take videos, and then he said, ‘Even yesterday, you took videos of me and posted on social media,’ and I’m like, yesterday I didn’t take any video of you,” he said.
According to Moloi, Scharnick’s intimidating demeanour, including finger-pointing and suggesting they move the discussion outside, prompted him to open a case.
Videos of officers detaining Scharnick made their rounds on social media after the incident.
Videos of confrontation and arrest
Following the incident, Moloi took to X to assure South Africans that he was okay.
“I was unable to take calls and reply to messages because I was busy registering a criminal case. I will now allow the law to take its course,” he wrote.
“Thank you to everyone who checked up on me.”
The commission’s spokesperson, Jeremy Michaels, said the Madlanga commission condemned any unacceptable behaviour towards journalists, emphasising their crucial role in communicating the proceedings to the public and the world.
“We will not tolerate this,” he said.
Saps employee ‘cleared’ Scharnick’s criminal record
Meanwhile, witnesses have mentioned Scharnick in the proceedings before.
Last year, KwaZulu-Natal police alleged that a Saps employee manipulated the criminal records system to hide Scharnick’s history of cases, including 10 motor vehicle thefts and eight carjackings that consolidated into a lenient plea of a five-year suspended sentence and R150 000 fine.
They also alleged that he improperly obtained five firearm licences for sporting purposes, despite his convictions.
