BUSHIRI'S ATTORNEY CLAIMS R15M FOR UNLAWFUL DETENTION

The instructing attorney in SA for fugitive Shepherd Bushiri will be suing the Minister of Police and the National Police Commissioner for R15m for his arrest and detention for hours without a charge. According to a Pretoria News report, Terence Baloyi, the legal representative for the Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) church leader, was arrested this month for charges of corruption, intimidation and defeating the ends of justice.

A letter of demand served to both the Police Minister Bheki Cele and the National Police Commissioner Khehla Sithole on 5 March states that Baloyi would be suing both parties for R15m. According to the letter, Baloyi was suing the police as a result of his alleged unlawful arrest and unlawful detention. Baloyi was according to the letter allegedly arrested on 1 March, without a warrant of arrest and detained by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks), ‘for no legally justifiable basis’. The Police Department’s heads have been given 30 days to make the payment, failing which, legal action would be instituted without further notice.