Fake passport seller case delayed over poor police work

Justice delayed is justice denied. This is what Magistrate Thandi Twele said as she struck a case off the court roll at the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court.

The state was requesting a further postponement in the case against four people accused of kidnapping and attempted murder, Sandton Chronicle reports.

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The four are alleged to have kidnapped and beat the complainant after he allegedly sold them fake passports.

It is understood that the four accused had paid the complainant R30 000 in order for him to get them passports.

In December 2016, when the four were attempting to leave South Africa, they were told by authorities that their passports were fake.

The four accused then went on to search for the person who sold them the passports. They found him, put him in the boot of their car and assaulted him.

The complainant then opened a kidnapping and attempted murder case with the police.

Delays and postponements with the case being finalised are as a result of a fifth suspect who is still on the run.

Twele said the state was afforded enough time to apprehend the other suspect, but had failed to do so on numerous occasions.

The magistrate said it was quite clear that the investigating officer was disregarding the prosecutor’s instructions.

The case had been postponed four times in order to allow the investigating officer to arrest the fifth suspect. Twele said once the state has its house in order, it can subpoena the accused and the case can be heard in court again.

Fake passports would be a better focus for intelligence spooks

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