PH
Pretoria – The Tshwane Metro Police officer, who allegedly pulled out a knife and threatened to stab a man after he filmed an exchange between metro officers and a motorist, has been identified.
That was according to the department’s spokesperson senior superintendent Isaac Mahamba, who said the respective officers involved had been identified and interviewed. The investigation was ongoing.
“We have identified the officers and they have given their side of the story regarding the incident. The investigation is currently continuing,” Mahamba said.
An internal investigation was launched following an incident whereby an officer pulled out a knife and threatened to stab a man who started recording an exchange between a group of metro police officers and a motorist. The man, Sinethemba Lubisi, was an occupant in the car when the metro police officers pulled the driver over.
The incident occurred in the Pretoria central business district (CBD) on Wednesday when driver Edgar Masuku was stopped along Boom Street. Masuku said he had just turned on to Thabo Sehume Street when the officers in the vehicle behind him switched on their blue lights and ordered him to stop. There were apparently three metro officers present.
He claimed the officers said he was indecisive, which he refuted. Instead of issuing him with a fine, he said the officers started hurling insults towards him.
During the exchange, Lubisi, one of the passengers, started recording the incident with his cellphone. One of the officers allegedly saw him and asked why he was doing that. They allegedly demanded he delete the footage, but he refused. He returned to the car, but one officer allegedly pulled him through the car window and demanded the phone.
Another officer allegedly took out a folding knife and threatened to stab Lubisi.
Lubisi was locked up at the Pretoria Central police station and appeared in court the next day. The case was thrown out of court. Masuku laid a charge of malicious damage to property against the officers.
“I have a case number and I’m… waiting for feedback from the police regarding what the next step… will be,” Masuku said.
