POLICE DRAG FEET OVER CHARGES AGAINST MEC'S WIFE
Police are dragging their feet in pursuing a case against Palesa Maile, wife of Gauteng Sports, Arts and Culture MEC Lebogang Maile, who is also Gauteng chairperson of the ANC Youth League. The charges include reckless and negligent driving, theft, assault and attempted abduction.
Maile's car allegedly hit a 15 year old girl on Friday 18 March this year while she was walking home from school along Gibson Drive in Buccleuch.
Maile got out of the car and allegedly assaulted the girl and her twin sister, blaming them for breaking the side mirror of her vehicle. She then allegedly took a school bag and a cellphone which belonged to the twins, these items were later retrieved from Maile's car at Buccleuch Police Station.
Constable Mangena from Buccleuch police station then allegedly tried to persuade the parents not to lay charges against Maile.
The young girl who was hit suffered injuries to her shoulder and was seen by a doctor. Both girls and their parents have borne enormous emotional trauma due to this incident which is now compounded due to the lack of progress on the case.
I have written to Gauteng Police Commissioner Mzwandile Petros questioning why the investigation of this case appears to have ground to a standstill.
The following questions must be answered:
1. Why have the parents had no response from either the investigating officer or from Brigadier Billings at Sandton Police Station?
2. Why, according to the parents, did Constable Mangena at Buccleuch police station try to persuade them not to lay charges against Palesa Maile?
3. Why, according to the parents, did Constable Mangena at Buccleuch not conduct a breathalyser test or blood tests on the suspect even when the complainant pointed out the suspect smelled of alcohol?
4. Why, according to the parents, did Constable Mangena at Buccleuch not arrest the suspect, even when she allegedly admitted to hitting the children and taking their belongings which were then retrieved from her vehicle?
5. What is the current status of this investigation?
6. Will disciplinary action be taken against Constable Mangena for his alleged failure to act and if not, why not?
The parents, understandably, feel that this case is being swept under the rug due to the fact that Mrs. Maile is the wife of ANC big wig Lebogang Maile.
Why are police not taking action in this case? Does it mean there is one law for the ANC elite and another one for everybody else?
The DA will apply pressure to ensure that this case is properly investigated in the interests of impartial justice.
Statement issued by Kate Lorimer MPL, DA Gauteng Spokesperson Safety & Security, June 29 2011
Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter
