The High Court in Kimberley has ordered the local deputy-sheriff to seize property from the minister of safety and security to pay two men who were unlawfully arrested, the Volksblad newspaper reported on Friday.The report said the warrant indicated the local sheriff's office must seize the minister's personal effects, at the address of the provincial police commissioner, and sell it at a public auction until an amount of R367,886.63 plus interest had been collected.
This followed a six month delay during which the minister failed to pay a claim in favour of a grape farmer and his manager for being unlawfully arrested.
Judge CJ Olivier held on December 19 last year that R130,000 plus interest should be paid to Cassie van der Westhuizen, 44, of Kakamas.
His farm manager Martin Spangenberg, 27, should be paid R100,000 plus interest due to the unfair treatment.
The claim against the police related to an incident in September 2006 when Constable Desmond Pofadder arrested the two men, without a warrant, at their homes on the farm and threw them in a police van.
Pofadder apparently arrested the men in connection with the alleged assault of a minor four days earlier.
Source : Sapa /ag/gj
Date : 19 Jun 2009 11:05
