Klerksdorp Record, Stilfontein - The Stilfontein Magistrate Court postponed the case against police officers suspected of helping supposed Zama-zama kingpin Tiger, to escape.
The accused, Jack Motlhabya (37), Menzi Shabalala (38), Ntuthuko Dladla (40) and Samkelo Mbotho (38), face charges of defeating the ends of justice and aiding and abetting a detainee to escape. All four are part of the National Intervention Unit (NIU).
It was strange to people in court on Wednesday March 5, to witness two masked and armed NIU police officers accompanying their disgraced colleagues to the dock “for protection”. Due to their intimidating nature, the Magistrate instructed them to leave the court, which they refused. After a while they were escorted out of the court room.
Neither SAPS nor the NPA wanted to comment on questions in this regard. Klerksdorp Record was told that the accused, who are on bail, were even transported to court by their colleagues, bringing the issue of the misuse of state resources to the fore.
The four accused were working in Stilfontein as part of the Vala Umgodi operations where they arrested illegal miners who resurfaced after being forced from underground. Tiger, originally from Lesotho, was one of them. After he was identified by several illegal miners as the person who was in charge whilst they were underground, he was nowhere to be found in police custody. It was determined that he escaped with the help of police officers and the Anti-Corruption Unit launched an investigation which led to the arrest of the four policemen.
The case was postponed to May 29. Their bail has been extended until their next court date.
