ALMOST a year later, Empangeni resident Nadia Potgieter (31) has been found not guilty following an arrest at an alleged drug bust at the Richards Bay Tuzi Gazi Waterfront last December.
Richards Bay SAPS officials responding to a case of theft at the restaurant unearthed a so-called ‘drug haul’ when patrons and staff were searched.
Potgieter was allegedly found in possession of dependency producing substances and was arrested and charged.
‘At the time of the incident, I asked the police to take me for a drug test because I knew I was innocent and I was told they did not have the manpower to conduct one and locked me up in the holding cells,’ she said.
‘As far as I understood, when you’re pulled over for drunken driving the police breathalyse you, so I insisted a drug test be taken in this case.
‘After a week in custody, no test had been done and I was repeatedly told the same thing,’
‘On the night of the arrest when we arrived at the police station, the officer had a clear bag with contents in it and said it was mine and that they had found it on me. I was in utter disbelief,’ she said.
Appearing at the Richards Bay Magistrate Court, Potgieter was granted bail and has been involved in an ongoing legal battle until last week.
Following a lengthy investigation, the case was thrown out of court for the lack of incriminating evidence after forensic analysis returned the packeted content as an ‘unknown substance’.
‘I just want my name to be cleared. The effects of this have been detrimental including losing my job and staying unemployed for 11 weeks.
‘It was virtually impossible to find a job with a court case hanging over my head,’ she said.
