Pretoria - The city of Tshwane’s investigations department is questioning why a farmer who allegedly bought stolen diesel from a council employee at half price is not appearing in court on Thursday with the council worker.
The council employee was caught red-handed after delivering diesel worth R77 000 to the Bultfontein farmer who then threatened to set his lions loose on the police and metro investigators when they wanted to arrest him.
After police said they would open fire if the lions were released, the farmer co-operated.
Dorothy Mmushi, head of investigations for the City of Tshwane, said she was surprised that the farmer had not been charged by Hammanskraal police.
“We will take this further and find out why this happened. If we are not satisfied, we will take it to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid),” she said.
The metro employee will appear in the Hammanskraal Magistrate’s Court on Thursday facing a charge of theft.
On Tuesday, Mmushi said they expected the farmer to be charged with possession of stolen property.
However, on Wednesday police spokesman Warrant Officer Lolo Mangena confirmed the farmer had not been charged but could not provide reasons as to why. “There is only one person appearing in court relating to this case,” he said.
“I have no idea why he was not charged because he was involved in criminal activity.”
An investigating officer for the city, who cannot be named for security reasons, alleged the farmer drove himself to the Hammanskraal police station accompanied by a police officer on Tuesday.
The officer claimed the farmer had a good relationship with the police and said this might be the reason why he has not been charged. “I think the farmer was just let go. Everyone at the police station knows him very well,” the officer said. His superior, Mmushi, said they were investigating whether foul play was involved.
On Wednesday, Pretoria News reported the employee allegedly pumped diesel worth R77 000 from the Soshanguve Roads and Stormwater depots and also from a depot in Akasia, near the farm.
A total of 7 000 litres was delivered to the farm in a municipal tank on a truck belonging to the City of Tshwane.
Mmushi said it wasn’t possible that the farmer didn’t know where the diesel came from.
“The truck is labelled as property of the City of Tshwane and the farmer was paying a fraction of the normal fuel price,” Mmushi said.
He allegedly paid R120 for 25 litres of diesel. Since the suspect’s arrest, the City of Tshwane is taking disciplinary action which could see the suspension of the employee.
Members of the SAPS and metro police, while at the farm, saw lions, hyenas and wild dogs and suspicions arose about whether the farmer had a permit to keep the animals.
“The SAPS are following up on whether the farmer has a permit to have the animals on his farm,” she said.
More details will follow as the investigation unfolds, she said.
Pretoria News