Cape Town – A Rastafarian, sporting a wild beard and dreadlocks, livened up proceedings in a court in Cape Town on Monday, and may have rid magistrate Sabrina Sonnenberg of any Monday morning blues that she may have had.
Donovan Pope, of the Public Order Policing Unit, pleaded not guilty to charges of corruption and dealing in drugs, when he appeared in the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crime Court.
His hearing was a sequel to an unexpected police visit to Rastafarian Cheslyn Campbell’s home one night four years ago, when a group of four police officials, including Pope, allegedly found a number of dagga plants growing in a corner of his home.
Under Pope’s command, the police arrested and handcuffed Campbell behind his back and led him to the police vehicle outside. As he was being led out of his home, Cheslyn asked his wife to give him “something” with which to survive whilst in custody, and she have him R150. Pope confiscated the money, but prosecutor Simon Leope alleges that Pope kept it for himself, and failed to give it back.
Called to the witness stand, the magistrate administered the Oath, but instead of merely raising his right hand and saying “so help me God”, Campbell started praying loudly.
Smiling warmly at the bewildered Campbell, she was patient, kindly and understanding towards him, and helped him to understand the questions as the prosecutor led his testimony.
He said he was lying with his wife on the couch in his home, watching television, when there were three loud knocks on the door and the police burst in. He said he jumped up from the couch and demanded their search warrant. Pope replied that he was “the pope”, and did not require a warrant to search his home.
Asked if Pope meant his name was Pope, or what he understood, Campbell said: “To me, a pope is someone from the church.” He said two of them went to his bedroom, and he had to accompany them.
In a corner, under a light, they found 11 growing dagga plants, and he was arrested and handcuffed. In the police vehicle, under arrest, Pope asked him what his wife had given him and Campbell said, “Nothing.” Pope shouted to him, “Don’t talk k*k”, and he then handed the money to Pope.
Campbell was under cross-examination from defence attorney Patrick Vezasie, when the case was postponed to February 27.