Officers Jacobus Adriaan Groenewald, Bradley Dimitri Minnaar, Mthuthuzeli Mafanya, and Bathandwa Soldati appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday for the continuation of their bail application. Picture: Mandilakhe Tshwete
In arguing for their release on bail, four accused police officers currently before the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court have said the State’s case against them is not strong enough to prove they had stolen jewellery and personal effects to the value of R20 million.
Jacobus Groenewald, 44, alongside co-accused, Bradley Minnaar, 28, Mthuthuzeli Mafanya, 33, and Bathanwa Soldati, 38, were arrested on charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances and theft.
The officers had allegedly threatened a would-be suspect with a fake gun in a raid at a Sunset Avenue home located in Llandudno, after acting on alleged tip-off information received when they were released from duty earlier than their shift was to end on September 13, last year. The robbery incident occurred in the early hours of September 14.
The accused, as part of their heads of argument in their bail applications, submitted that the jewellery they are accused of having stolen and/or the proof of ownership through means of serial numbers was not shown to the court.
They also averred in their arguments that in the absence of this crucial evidence, the State had no case against them and further submitted they would plead not guilty in the trial.
According to the officers, they were acting on information about two suspects linked to cybercrimes when they carried out the alleged bust in the luxury neighbourhood.
During the bail hearing, the court heard how Groenewald, a senior-ranking officer, admitted that he had changed the licence plates of the SAPS vehicle he had driven to a Llandudno home to allegedly carry out the raid.
His submission was that he had done so because he did not want to become a “target” after the raid.
During bail proceedings and cross-examination by State prosecutor Lukhanyo Langeni, Groenewald admitted he had swapped the number plates of his police vehicle and explained that he had done so by sticking a piece of a number plate, which he had taken from his home, to the front and back of the police vehicle with double-sided tape.
Also during bail proceedings, the court heard that a jamming device was found in Minnaar’s vehicle and it is the State’s version that it was used to affect the GPS system of the vehicle.
During cross-examination, Mafanya said he had never seen a jamming device before.
He also told the court that they “did not take anything” and that “no one had a firearm out”.
Bail judgment is expected next week.
Cape Times