EASTERN CAPE - EAST LONDON COP SUES POLICE MINISTRY AFTER BEING UNLAWFULLY ARRESTED FOR EXTORTION & CORRUPTION BY HAWKS

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks) had unlawfully arrested a police officer on charges of extortion and corruption, the East London High Court has found, and now Suneel Bellochum is suing the Police Ministry for damages.

The Hawks pounced on Bellochum in 2014 when he was suspected of extortion and corruption after he allegedly took money from a Pakistani national, Ali Mohammed.

Mohammed had been transporting a consignment of tobacco and other items to shops around East London. Mohamed had informed police that the truck he used to deliver his consignment of tobacco was stopped by a police officer, who he said was Bellochum.

“Bellochum further made threats that if Mohammed did not want his truck and consignment to be confiscated, he must pay an amount of R30000. After having been given an opportunity to raise the amount that was demanded, he succeeded in collecting R27000 which he paid over to Bellochum,” the court record read.

Following his statement made to the police about the extortion, Mohammed agreed to set a trap with police and the Hawks where they would meet Bellochum in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant.

A Captain Buys, during cross-examination, said in 18 months since the arrest of Bellochum and until the decision of the State to decline to prosecute, there had been no other evidence implicating Bellochum.

Buys had also denied that their operation was a trap.

Bellochum, in his defence, said he had met with Mohammed to collect an amount of R9000 from him on behalf of a Mr Jogger from Pietermaritzburg.

Bellochum could produce a bank deposit slip.

“Bellochum also furnished police with details of the friend for whom he was collecting the money. None of this information was investigated and assessed to aid the police in forming a suspicion to arrest.

“This failure is exacerbated further by the failure of the police to obtain a statement from the wife of the complainant who was present at all times when this incident occurred,” Judge Victor Nqumse pointed out.

Judge Nqumse further said in his judgment: “From the facts in this matter, the plaintiff’s arrest by the police officers cannot be clothed with legality. It is my view that the police have failed to analyse critically the information at their disposal which was ostensibly the complainant’s statement only.

“Nothing prevented the police from obtaining information which was readily available and reachable.”

Police Ministry spokesperson Lirandzu Themba said they would study the judgment.

via - IOL