Pretoria - A sequel to last year’s raid when masked police members stormed a Bryanston home played itself out in the high court in Pretoria, with the minister of police being ordered to pay more than R101 679 to repair the doors and windows broken during the police action.
The police did not defend the claim after they raided the wrong house in the early hours of August 22 last year.
The raid was part of an ongoing investigation into a gold and diamond syndicate.
André and Jennifer Peers are also claiming more than R2 million in damages on behalf of themselves, their children and workers, Martha Msimango, Martha Khobodi and Tiego Khobodi, for the mental anguish they are still enduring following their ordeal.
André was in London at the time when Jennifer, her 9-year-old daughter and baby son, two domestic workers and the gardener were asleep in their Green Street home. They were woken at 6am by a helicopter hovering above the house. About 40 heavily armed masked men, wearing bullet-proof vests and helmets, entered the premises. None had visible identification on them.
Some entered the premises by abseiling from the helicopter; others were driven through the double front gates by an armoured vehicle.
Jennifer said in court papers eight doors, windows, security shutters and bars were smashed, despite her agreeing to open the doors for them. The masked men also stormed the staff quarters and searched some of them at gunpoint.
The cottage on the premises was also raided and its glass doors opening onto the veranda smashed open.
Jennifer said she kept on asking why they were raiding her home, but was told nothing.
The workers also tried to enquire, but were not answered.
Jennifer was instructed by the men to calm down the family dogs, else they would be shot. Nobody was allowed to use a phone and they had to produce their IDs. Jennifer was also instructed to open the safe to show them proof of home ownership.
The police had a search warrant, but it was invalid, the family said, as it did not describe any offence and stated this was the residence of a suspect, one Salie Mounir, who bought illegal diamonds in Kimberley.
Even though the police had the wrong house, they were not met with resistance by the occupants and did not need to use such force. Breaking of doors and windows continued even after some of the doors were opened for the police, it was said.
The additional R2m claim by the family and workers include money for psychological treatment . All said they were extremely shocked and shaken by the raid. Some had to receive immediate medical treatment.
Jennifer said it was an invasion of her privacy, causing anguish and fear. She also suffers from post traumatic stress disorder. The claim was postponed indefinitely to calculate the damages to be awarded.
Pretoria News