6 months ago
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A Cato Manor policeman who was arrested on Friday when he was found with a bank card taken during a hijacking in which 11-year-old Zara Ramsamy was run over and killed, used it to buy more than R1,000 worth of alcohol.
This emerged during a brief court appearance of Const Joshua Minenhle Makhaye, 27, at the Durban magistrate's court on Monday.
Prosecutor Calvin Govender said Makhaye had used an FNB debit card belonging to Shaida Ramsay, whose car was hijacking in Queensburgh last month, to buy the alcohol from a Checkers Liquor store in Southway Mall.
He was also found with 105 bank cards from Absa, FNB and African bank, believed to be from hijacked courier vehicles.
A number plate NUR 33958 was also found in his possession.
Makhaye, who is attached to the Cato Manor visible policing unit, faces four charges which includes possession of suspected stolen property, theft, fraud.
He is also accused of tampering or obstructing justice by tampering with a crime scene at Chesterville on September 12.
Zara, a grade 5 pupil at Penzance Primary School in Glenwood, died on September 11 when hijackers drove over her while she hid under her mother's Toyota Fortuner near the Queensburgh McDonalds.
The men demanded the keys and, realising what was happening, the 11-year-old girl hid under the car. The suspects jumped into the vehicle and while driving away ran over the child. She was taken to hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Col Robert Netshiunda said the policeman was not linked to the hijacking or the murder.
Netshiunda said when the hijacked vehicle was recovered in the Cato Manor area, the constable was asked to retrieve it. “It was during that time that the constable got hold of the bank card and [allegedly] stole it,” said Netshiunda.
Govender said the state was opposed to Makhaye being released on bail and the policeman was visibly distressed to hear he was to be remanded in custody until the next court appearance.
Makhaye's attorney Zolani Duma told court his client objected to photographs citing safety concerns from his colleagues.
Magistrate Ashwin Singh ruled that Makhaye did not provide sufficient evidence to support this.
“The witnesses in the matter are your colleagues in question,” said Singh.
The case was adjourned to October 14 for bail consideration.
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