Cops in drunk-driving cover up?

Say it with a sting.....

By Barry Bateman

Pretoria West police have been accused of colluding to cover up for a Laudium police colleague who was allegedly drunk on duty and behind the wheel of an official vehicle.

The officer - an inspector - nearly crashed into a member of the public on Quagga Road on Sunday. A second inspector was in the vehicle with him.

The member of the public then called Pretoria West Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson Nagesh Chetty.

Chetty dispatched two reservist constables who pulled the officers off the road, but when they realised that the officers from Laudium were of a higher rank, two higher ranking captains were sent to the scene.

One of those captains said when he arrived at the scene at the corner of Quagga and Rod roads, the driver of the police vehicle's speech was slurred and he was not steady on his feet.

"That man appeared deranged.

"He was sick so we sent him home," he said.

The captain said the "deranged" police officer was not tested for alcohol with a breathalyser, nor was he sent for blood tests because his colleague said he was sick.

"How can you be drunk at that time of the morning?

"I know he was sick because his colleague said so and he didn't smell of alcohol," he said.

When informed what had transpired, Chetty was furious.

"These captains should be charged with defeating the ends of justice."

Chetty said he received the call at about 10am after the police vehicle nearly twice crashed into the member of the public's vehicle.

He said the two reservists told him that after pulling the police vehicle from the road, the reservists reported to him that the driver's speech was slurred.

"They could not prove that he was drunk so they had to take him for blood tests.

"I called (Pretoria West station commander Superintendent Nishan Moodley) and explained that the Laudium officers were inspectors, so he sent out the captains," he said.

Moodley confirmed he sent two captains to the scene to deal with the matter, but had not yet spoken to either of them.

When informed of what had happened, he said he would look into the matter.

Chetty thanked the anonymous member of the public for reporting this matter to him, but felt the police had failed in their duties.

"I appeal to the provincial management to investigate this matter," he said.

Provincial police spokesperson Superintendent Thembi Nkhwashu said they would investigate the matter and if it was found there was any wrongdoing, the police officers in question would be dealt with.


This article was originally published on page 3 of Pretoria News on September 09, 2008

Comment by Sonny

Double edged sword of Justice.

Single rules for SAPS colleagues.

Long survive the Scorpions!