Len Cloete discharged from hospital after being shot in the head

The man who was shot in the head by police at a guest house in Muldersdrift in November last year has been discharged from hospital and recovering at home, Pretoria Rekord reports. 

Len Cloete, the owner of a gym in Rietvleirand, Tshwane, was shot after an altercation with police at Misty Hills Lodge on 15 November 2021. 

Cloete allegedly disarmed and then provoked a police officer after an exchange at the guest house, in which he was reportedly asked to leave by Misty Hills Lodge’s manager. 

A standoff ensued, after which one of the police officers drew his service pistol and shot Cloete in the head. 

The bullet was lodged in his head, and he underwent two operations on his brain and skull to have it removed. 

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After being in a coma since the incident, Cloete regained consciousness on 17 December, and underwent rehabilitation. 

According to Rekord, at present, Cloete is only able to use one side of his body, and continues to undergo rehabilitation. 

Cloete is also wheelchair-bound and is not yet able to walk or talk. 

He does however understand his wife, Chantal, private investigator Mike Bolhuis told the publication. 

“At home, he is with his family and he should be able to move a lot more than he could at the hospital.”

Investigations underway 

Luke Enslin, the private investigator handling the case, said the progress of the investigations rely on Cloete’s recovery; for him to be fit enough to tell his side of the story. 

“Len has to be fully compos mentis. He has to stand in court and be able to state whether he is guilty or not.

“He is not fit enough to go to court and answer any charges against him in court, so they need a few documents and reports and that investigation will be placed before a senior public prosecutor,” Enslin explained.

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) said in December last year there was no reason for the officer who shot Cloete to be arrested. 

The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union last month also came to the defence of the officers, saying the police’s actions were justified. 

ALSO READ: Muldersdrift shooting ‘completely justified’, says Popcru

There are currently three investigations underway – one by police against Cloete, another by Ipid into the police’s conduct, and a civil case Chantal opened against the officers. 

Chantal has argued the officers acted unlawfully by shooting Cloete, with Enslin telling Rekord she wanted compensation for the financial shortfall owed to Cloete’s inability to work, and his medical bills. 

“She believes that there were enough police on that day to arrest her husband before matters escalated to where they did,” Enslin said.

“She is of the view that there was enough time for him to have been arrested before he was armed or when he put his firearm away.”

Edited by Nica Richards.

This article first appeared on Caxton publication Pretoria Rekord. Read the original article, by Noxolo Sibiya. Read the original article here.