Dear Editor,
Some time in October last year, a policeman attached to the Aurora station removed my trailer which was not involved in any breach of the law with a privately owned tractor while it was stationary in my yard at Huis’t Dieren, and lodged it in the police compound. This was done unknown to me.
On learning of the removal which was indeed baffling to me I proceeded to the station to ascertain the reason for this action, but without uttering a word, I was dumped in the lock-ups without an explanation for almost eight hours before being released on ten thousand dollars bail.
Before leaving a request was made for me to produce the trailer receipt, which I did not hesitate to give to the S/O who never returned it to me, although this did not make a difference since I had kept a photocopy of it.
Still confused about what was taking place, I visited the office of the then Divisional Commander who promised to look into my complaint, but nothing further was ever heard from him.
Much to my surprise, exactly one year later the police came to my home and informed me that a file had been returned from the DPP’s office with instructions to charge me for three offences, namely, forgery of the receipt for the trailer, fraudulent misappropriation and obtaining money by false pretences.
Here again I had to suffer the indignity of being placed in the Suddie Police station lock-ups where I was incarcerated overnight until the next day when I was taken before a Magistrate at the Charity court to answer the charges. After an application was made by the prosecutor for the matters to be taken summarily, I pleaded “Not guilty” and was placed on eighty thousand dollars bail on each of the three charges with a date then given for statements to be served.
From the statements submitted to the DPP’s office, no mention was made of me having produced a valid receipt to the police for the trailer with the one from the investigating rank being false.
During the hearing of the charges at the Suddie court on Thursday (December 21, 2013) the prosecutor did not offer any evidence on a forged receipt for the trailer and this charge was dismissed as well as the other two on the basis of no-case submissions made by my lawyer at the close of the prosecution’s case.
The only two witnesses called by the prosecutor in the false pretence case were the victim and his sister who testified he had borrowed money to give to me as an advance for the making of the trailer.
No police rank was called to give evidence not even the officer who conducted the investigations.
The Magistrate advised me to approach the police to get back the trailer and I did so in writing the very next day, being November 22, but a response is still being awaited up until now.
Had the police approached me for a statement which I was always willing, ready and prepared to give, the truth of what transpired would have been revealed.
At no time was any money given to me and from my own belief the charges against me were trumped up because the victim owes me a substantial amount of money and a relative of his is a member of the Force.
Yours faithfully,
Naresh Rani
Editor’s note
We are sending a copy of this letter to Commissioner of Police Leroy Brumell for any comment he might wish to make.
