A GROUP of policemen could find themselves in hot water after they entered a courtroom yesterday and tried to prevent reporters from sitting in a case involving suspected crime mastermind William “Mashobane” Mbatha. In the process the heavily armed policemen claimed they were acting on orders from the presiding magistrate as they pushed reporters out of the court in Germiston.
The policemen, from Germiston detective services led by a Superintendent J C Du Plessis, claimed they were acting on “ a ruling from the magistrate”. The group were earlier seen speaking in hushed voices and mumbling with Mbatha’s friends before the hearing. They are now in trouble after it turned out they made it all up to please the suspect.
Presiding magistrate Isabel Mlaba said their behaviour was “ridiculous”. “This is wrong. They can’t just use my name and claim I made such a ruling. This is an open court,” said Mlaba. Du Plessis had earlier told reporters: “The magistrate ruled that you are not allowed inside. ” But Mlaba denied this: “If I was not impressed with your presence I would have announced it in your presence. ”
Germiston police station commissioner director Johan Oosthuizen said he would investigate the incident.
Source: the Sowetan
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