The Parklands mother of a teen, who was robbed of his cellphone by a knife-wielding man, feels justice is being denied to her son after the suspect was released two days after his arrest on Monday February 6.
The mother, who asked that neither she nor her family be named, said she was stunned police had let the suspected mugger go after her son positively identified him from a photograph officers showed him.
“My daughter went to the station and filled out a statement and was given a case number but then a week later she got a call from the Table View SAPS. When my daughter quizzed the SAPS staff member, she was told no reason was given as to why the suspect was released and told, ‘only the prosecutor knows’.”
The mother said her son was still traumatised after being mugged in broad daylight in Parklands Main Road, on his way home from school. “He is so affected that I don’t want to discuss the incident in front of him while he could overhear it, as it could cause more trauma,” she said.
The 15-year-old (“Teen identifies cellphone thief,” Tabletalk, February 8) positively identified his knife-wielding attacker as the same man, wearing a hoodie and a glove on one hand, who had robbed another teen in a similar manner on the same day on Monday January 23 and was arrested.
In an email to Tabletalk the mother wrote: “This same person robbed another teenager on the same day he robbed my son. A few days later, he was caught at the bus stop carrying a pair of scissors with him. I have got a feeling that he waits for his victims-to-be at Parklands Main Road.”
She told Tabletalk: “Police even confirmed to us that the guy is known to them, is from Dunoon, is a drug addict etc. I am really stunned as to how he can be released, as he seems to be a danger to the community, and yet is set free just like that.”
Tabletalk sent two messages to Table View police spokeswoman Captain Adriana Chandler. After the second email, she replied saying: “Due to the working hours of the detectives (tracing operations, court, morgue, etc) I am unable to reach the investigating officer for comment. Sincere apologies for this.”
Tabletalk sent a third email requesting more details and also contacted National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Eric Ntabazalila.
He said: “Please note that we are busy dealing with your media query. We are trying to get hold of the investigating officer regarding the docket but unfortunately he is out on another case. We are trying to get someone else to bring us that docket and we will revert back to you as soon as we get it. “
Later, he added: “Please note that police did not bring the docket to the prosecutor as requested.We will try again tomorrow (Tuesday February 21).”
At the time of going to press he had not yet responded as to whether he had received the docket.