Two ex-CPF volunteers JohanVdSchyff & GustavBotha sue police for damages over false 'murder'arrests:
http://www.netwerk24.com/nuus/2015-02-25-sy-dogter-lag-van-skok
60, who was illegally arrested and held in a police cell for 36 days for the 'murder' of an unknown man who had died in a park in
Valhalla, wept uncontrollably in the Pretoria high court when he testified how his 21-year-old daughter had burst into hysterical laughter when she saw him under arrest in the police station.
-- Reporter: Beeld daily, Jeanne-Marié Versluis Wednesday 25 Februarie 2015
Van der Schyff and fellow-complainant Gustav Botha, 34, were both arrested in 2011 while working as unpaid volunteers for the community-policing forum.
They were illegally arrested and claim R750,000 damages for their ordeal.
Van der Schyff testified that police arrived at his home on 7 April 2011 at night 'because a man was assaulted'.
"I was then a member of the Citizen Policing Forum Sector 1 in the Wierdabrug police station.
'At the police station I was told this unknown man was 'dead in the park across the Spar in Valhalla' but I didn't know who it was.'
He was dumped in a police-cell under unsanitary circumstances, he testified and then was moved on 11 April 2011 to a prison, where he was held as a trial-awaiting murder suspect for 36 days.
He was released and the charge against him was withdrawn.
"My daughter left our house after the incident and hasn't returned to this day,' he testified during his tearful description. "I can't hold it against her. We aren't angry with each other, she comes and visits every once in a while'.
The court had to be convened for a while while Mr van der Schyff calmed down. He was supported by his son.
Mr Botha was arrested on 30 April 2011 as 'co-defendant' in the same death.
He testified that 12 police officers arrived at his home and pushed their guns into his face.
"En route to the police station they also stopped by the houses of other CPF-members, climbing across their fences and hammering at their doors.'
The police told him he was a 'co-defendant in a murder case but the 'charge' was withdrawn later.
Botha: "I don't know if I will ever be able to trust any police officer in my life.' He no longer does any community-policing community patrolling.
He too testified that his previously trusting relationship with his 13-year-old daughter was destroyed by the illegal arrest 'because the children at school were taunting her about it'.
'My wife is also divorcing me because of this. She told me that after I came out of jail I was no longer the same person'.
The case continues. http://www.netwerk24.com/nuus/2015-02-25-sy-dogter-lag-van-skok
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