Mashatile's VIP protectors' occurrence report doesn't mention assault
One of the officers from Deputy President Paul Mashatile's protection team told the VIP incident management officer that a speeding VW Polo driver was trying to get close to the main car the day the VIP officers allegedly assaulted a motorist.
Sgt Goodwill Rikhotso, an incident management officer at the VIP police unit, revealed this at the Randburg magistrate's court on Tuesday.
He testified in the case of the eight VIP protection unit officers from Mashatile's protection team who allegedly assaulted a motorist on the N1 highway in Johannesburg in July 2023.
Rikhotso, who writes accident and incident reports in the VIP unit, testified that one of the accused officers, W/O Phineas Boshielo, reported to him about the July 2 2023 incident.
However, the incident report didn't mention anything about an assault incident.
'W/O Boshielo reported that at about 16:00 bravo convoy were run on the N1 north road from Soweto when a blue Polo driving behind the convoy, trying to get close to the main car,' Rikhotso read from the report he compiled during the examination in chief.
The state led the evidence of Rikhotso, who testified that they were speaking in Tswana when Boshielo called him, and there was no miscommunication between them.
'They first backup shielded the main car against driver of the Polo. They ordered the driver to reduce speed but instead he continue to race with the convoy and they end up forcing him out the road,' Rikhotso read the report.
Rikhotso testified that Boshielo reported that: 'They stopped him [driver] and inside the Polo there were three males and one female, smashed on the windows trying to run away but the first backup managed to catch them and they searched them and the vehicle as well but they did not find any weapons in the vehicle.
'Later the first backup joined the convoy, and Capt Lepota was informed about the incident.'
Shadrack Kojoana, Johannes Mampuru, Pomso Mofokeng, Harmans Ramokhonami, Phineas Boshielo, Churchill Mkhize, Lesibana Rambau and Moses Tshidada face 12 counts, including assault, malicious damage to property, pointing of a firearm, contravening the Road Traffic Act, reckless and negligent driving and attempting to defeat the ends of justice.
The case was adjourned to Wednesday for the defence lawyer, Mswazi Makhubele, to consult the accused before cross-examining Rikhotso.
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