Cape Town - A former police officer charged with soliciting a bribe from five men and of suppressing evidence in an attempted murder case involving a Manenberg cleaner has failed to appear in court.
Andy Hendricks is charged with fraud, theft and defeating the ends of justice for allegedly suppressing evidence in a case against Chad De Matos, Aaron Mack, Mitchell Turner and two others accused of assaulting Delia Adonis.
Hendricks failed to appear in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday due to a “personal emergency”.
Defence attorney Carlos Langeveldt told the court Hendricks had phoned late on Tuesday night.
“My client told me he could not be here because he is facing a personal emergency,” Langeveldt told the court.
Magistrate Koos Meyer enquired whether Hendricks had explained the personal emergency, but Langeveldt said his client had not elaborated. A visibly agitated Meyer postponed the matter until December 9.
Summoned to court as a State witness, Adonis said: “Every time I come to court I recall the incident. Today was a complete waste of my time.”
De Matos, 19, Mack, 20, and Turner, 20, had been charged with attempted murder, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and crimen injuria.
Adonis alleged she was attacked and racially abused by the three men and two others - who were not charged - at Stadium On Main in Claremont on October 17 last year.
The matter against the three men was withdrawn when Director of Public Prosecutions Rodney de Kock decided not to prosecute.
Hendricks has since been dismissed from the SAPS, following an internal disciplinary hearing into the matter.
The former Claremont police station constable allegedly received R700 from De Matos during an interview with the five men on October 20 last year before forging a statement on behalf of Adonis to have the case dropped.
“Hendricks phoned Adonis on October 20, informing her the suspects were willing to pay her medical fees and travelling costs. Adonis told Hendricks she did not want their money,” the docket reads.
“The accused unlawfully, falsely and with intent to defraud, pretended to (the accused men) after making a phone call to Delia Adonis, that Adonis was happy to drop all charges should the men be willing to pay the medical fees as well as travelling costs amounting to R700, whereupon De Matos immediately proceeded to hand over R700 to the accused.”
The State received Hendricks’ statement on November 5 that he had visited Adonis, who decided that she did not want to continue with the case.
Adonis then visited the court to enquire about the progress on the matter.
“Adonis explained that Hendricks had phoned her, explaining the offer of the suspects to pay for her medical bills. She, however, informed Hendricks that she wants them to go to court,” the docket reads.
The case against the five men was withdrawn on June 24 after defence attorney William Booth made representations to De Kock.
Asked whether De Matos’s payment of R700 for the charges to be withdrawn did not implicate the five men, De Kock replied: “De Matos and the others are State witnesses in the case against Hendricks and complainants to the fraud charge against Hendricks.
“There is no witness or other evidence that could be used to prosecute them on the charge of defeating the ends of justice.
“The only evidence about the payment of money is their own, and exculpatory of them.”
Booth has chosen not to comment on his clients’ involvement in the case against Hendricks.
Cape Times
@carlo_petersen
* Use IOL’s Facebook and Twitter pages to comment on our stories. See links below.