Man’s named cleared after Court acquits him of two charges

Accused of escaping from custody while he was hospitalised and violating a protection order, Brenlyn Govindasami feels that justice has finally been served after he was acquitted of both charges.
The 32-year-old appeared in the Dundee Magistrate’s Court last week following the incident in March where he was taken to hospital after he complained of illness after he was in arrested in Glencoe for the alleged violation of a protection order.
He was taken to Dundee Hospital where he was treated. “Some hours later I was feeling better and decided to leave. I was not under police guard and neither was I handcuffed in any way. So I left for home in Glencoe.”
Later that evening police re-arrested him in Glencoe and he was taken back into custody at the Glencoe police cells where he alleges another prisoner assaulted him.
From there, he was taken to Ladysmith Prison where he was held for 30 days until bail of only R500 was finally granted.
His harrowing experience has a silver lining after the Court found that Brenlyn had not intentionally escaped custody from hospital as he had gone home and not attempted to flee elsewhere. There was insufficient evidence to prosecute him on the protection order violation.
For now, he feels redeemed and is looking forward to starting a new job in June.