A MONTCLAIR SAPS member has been awarded top honours for his high sentence convictions rate in the past financial year.
Warrant Officer Rico Naidoo received the provincial commissioner’s excellence award for detective of the year at a ceremony at Coastlands Hotel in Umhlanga on Friday, 6 February.
Naidoo received the award for securing convictions which resulted in criminals being collectively sentenced to 191 years behind bars. “I’m proud that I’ve been recognised. I enjoy the challenge in solving crimes especially hijackings, house robberies, business robberies and murders,” he said.
The award-winning policeman studied at Wentworth Training Academy in 1986 and was then deployed to Cape Town for three years. He joined Montclair SAPS in 1989. Naidoo’s skill and expertise in his field has seen him tasked to concentrate on murders and sensitive cases since the beginning of 2014. He has also been tasked by the cluster commander to investigate cases.
A case that stands out in the top cop’s mind is the axe murderer case of former Blue Bulls rugby player Phindile Ntshongwana. “We fought three years and nine months for that case. I’m really happy with his conviction of five life sentences and plus 14 years,” he said.
W/O Naidoo says his job is a rewarding one. “I like arresting a suspect and convicting them. By doing this, I know my job has been done and the victim’s family get closure,” he said.
The proud policeman thanks Brighton Beach crime intelligence and W/O Craig Inggs of Montclair field unit for assisting in his investigations.
“Management of Montclair SAPS congratulates W/O Rico Naidoo on his outstanding achievement. He has made Montclair SAPS proud. W/O Naidoo has shown that hard work and dedication pays off,” said communications officer Lt Leopold Jojozi.
W/O Naidoo has been nominated to represent Kwa-Zulu Natal in the upcoming national awards which will be held on Friday, 13 March at Emperors Palace in Gauteng.
