A bail hearing in Llandudno over an assault on a police officer is underway

Four police officers accused of being involved in a multi-million-pound robbery at a residence in Llandudno, Cape Town, appeared before the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday asking for a continuation of their bail application.

The court heard that one of the police officers allegedly left a Louis Vuitton card case in the van.

Jacobus Groenewald (44), Bradley Minnaar (28), Mthuthuzeli Mafanya (33) and Bathandwa Soldati (38) will be charged with robbery with aggravating circumstances. Their fingerprints were allegedly found at a house in an upscale suburb after the September 14 robbery.

The defendants testified, stating that it was not a robbery, but that in fact they were working on a tip they received.

Officers told the court they received information from two informants about two Nigerians who were in the country illegally and wanted by Interpol for cyber crimes. According to officers, both men were tenants of a drug warehouse in Kyalami Gardens.

Prosecutor Lukhanyo Langeni questioned Soldati about the Malawian national that informants told the accused about. He stated that this was the person who ran the warehouse and was supposed to provide him with access. However, Soldati remained silent.

Langeni then questioned Soldati about the jamming device found in Minnaar’s police vehicle. Soldati said that was not true.

Langeni then told Soldati that the investigating officer would give testimony that, according to the complainant, the accused was walking down the residence with bags filled with various items. He said the investigating officer would also testify that, among other things, a jewelry box was found in Groenewald’s police vehicle, which was the subject of the complaint.

The court earlier heard there were three occupants in the house after Groenewald shouted “South African Police, please come down”. These people, two men and one woman, were tied with cables and divided into three groups, including the accused and informants, to search the house.

The court heard testimony from investigating officer Const Elrich Duister, who said the resident asked why the defendants were searching the premises. He said they told her they would bring back items including jewelry, an iPad, a cell phone and clothes.

The complainant told Duister that there were seven unknown police officers and that a short, black civilian asked him how much money he had. He said he had no money and saw the defendant coming down the stairs with about five duffel bags. He said that when they were untied, he noticed that his jewelry and personal items had been taken.

The court heard that security company PPA was alerted to the incident at the residence, while Duister said police received a call from the owner of the property and when they arrived they saw two police vans.

The security company said it spoke to Groenewald, who told them his name was Sergeant Beukes and he was slightly out of breath. They asked why they were there and “Beukes” said they wanted to arrest a suspect wanted by Interpol. The PPA team questioned whether they were from Samora Machel Police Station, but were told they were simply using a vehicle.

The court heard that after the PPA had left the scene and officials had entered their vehicles, the complainant ran from the house and shouted: “Give me my phone back.” Duister said that when one of the defendants handed over his phone, he shot a short video of officers recording the vehicle’s license plate number.

The court heard that police in Hout Bay tried to track down one of the vehicles belonging to Cape Town Central Station. The vehicle was discovered to have been used as part of a “recovery operation” in which Groenewald had previously stated he had taken part.

Duister said they were tasked with tracking and locating the vehicle and when they discovered it, they saw Groenewald, who told them he had dropped off a police member at the Cape Town police station and was returning home.

The court heard that Groenewald’s vehicle was searched and a bulletproof bag with a green jewelry box, a clear plastic bag with wristbands matching those used at the scene, and a Louis Vuitton card case containing a Nigerian driving license and other cards were located.

Duister said when they found the items, they knew the vehicle’s license plates had been changed.

The case was postponed to November 28.

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