Man nabbed on drugs charge, bribery cries wrongful arrest
“The police report that Ashmiye offered them a bribe of R50 that they refused,” police spokesperson says.
A man arrested for selling dagga and being in possession of drugs in Silverton has denied that he offered a bribe to police.
Nigerian national Ashmed Ashmiye (38) appeared in the Pretoria magistrate’s court on Tuesday on charges of corruption and possession of dagga.
Ashmiye was arrested at his home in Silverton during a police raid that was prompted by a tip-off from a resident.
Police spokesperson Isaac Mculu said a concerned resident reported that Ashmiye sold dagga at his home, then went to buy some to bring to the police as evidence.
The police then went to search the house on September 19 without a search warrant, the court heard.
Mculu said the cops found bags of dagga and a small amount of other drugs Ashmiye was believed to be selling.
“The police report that Ashmiye offered them a bribe of R50 that they refused,” Mculu said.
In court, Ashmiye denied that he offered police a bribe however said the police took R900 from him.
“I deny the charges against me, in that the police just came to my house to search me and found an amount of around R900. They then took my money and arrested me for corruption of R50 bribe and being in possession of small amount of dagga,” Ashmiye’s bail application statement read.
Ashmiye complained that the police searched his home without a warrant permitting them to do so.
In attempts to get bail, he told the court that he would not flee the country as he was an asylum seeker and already built a family in Pretoria.
NPA did not oppose bail, however, stuck to its case that Ashmiye sold dagga in Silverton and when he was caught by police he tried to buy his way out.
Ashmiye was granted bail of R1 000.
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