The trial of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Deputy Speaker is set to commence on Thursday. Vuyo Mhlakaza-Manamela is accused of assaulting a pregnant police officer.
ASSAULTED POLICE OFFICER SET TO TESTIFY
The victim of the assault is expected to start the proceedings by testifying before the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court.
Protection and Security Services officer Sergeant Lizzy Mojapelo will be giving details about the morning she allegedly got assaulted by Mhlakaza-Manamela.
Mojapelo alleges that the Speaker had severely assaulted her in a drunken fit of rage. This incident reportedly happened in February 2020 at the home of Mhlakaza-Manamela.
The accused is the wife of Deputy Minister of Higher Education Bhuti Manamela.
The police officer further states that her police superiors refused to help her open a case against the Speaker. Instead, she said they did everything in their power to frustrate the efforts.
This despite Mojapelo documenting the incident, said Afriforum Private Prosecution Unit spokesperson Barry Bateman.
“The senior politician faces charges of assault and crimen injuria.”
Barry Bateman
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POLICE OFFICER REACHES OUT TO AFRIFORUM
Mojapelo suffered multiple injuries from the alleged assault. Medical examinations also confirmed that the officer was pregnant at the time of the alleged incident.
But despite compiling notes of her interactions with the prosecutors and investigator, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) declined to pursue the matter.
“Mojapelo approached AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit after the NPA chose not to pursue the case. The matter was withdrawn last year after senior prosecutors allegedly told Mojapelo that it would be difficult to prosecute because the suspect is a very high-profile person,” Bateman said.
The minority-rights group’s prosecution unit made representations to the NPA on behalf of the police officer.
The Gauteng Director of Public Prosecution informed the unit in June that it had reviewed the earlier decision. This meant the NPA would re-enrol the case against Mhlakaza-Manamela.
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