Johannesburg - Police will not apologise to the family of the man who was arrested for the murder of Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa and later released, saying they cannot apologise for something they did not do wrong.
Divisional commissioner for detective services Lieutenant-General Vinesh Moonoo, who was speaking to the media on Thursday about successful operations to arrest criminals, was responding to a question posed by journalists relating to the family of Zamokuhle Mbatha.
Charges against the 27-year-old Vosloorus man were withdrawn on Tuesday because there was not enough evidence to prosecute him. Mbatha’s family had expressed a wish for the police to apologise for traumatising him.
Moonoo said Mbatha became a suspect and was arrested based on the statements received from witnesses. He said it was the National Prosecuting Authority that put the case on the roll and temporarily withdrew it.
The police were still gathering information, and Mbatha’s cellphone was still in their possession, he said.
“It doesn’t take a week to investigate a case, it takes time,” he pointed out.
The police said they would communicate necessary information when the time was right.
On Thursday, the media were told about the efforts being made to arrest criminals.
A total of 532 suspects had been arrested in Gauteng since Monday for crimes including robbery and murder, and more than 830 suspects had been taken into custody in KwaZulu-Natal since Operation Duty Calls began last month.
Moonoo said experienced detectives had been studying dockets to establish the following:
* Possible suspects who have been identified but not yet arrested.
* Suspects who have been arrested and charged, but the dockets are not yet ready for trial.
* Suspects who are linked to crime scenes, but have not yet been arrested.
* Suspects whose details have been circulated but have not yet been pursued and arrested.
This week, the focus was primarily on serious cases including murder, attempted murder, hijackings, heists, robberies, rape and theft.
Forty-eight suspects had been arrested since a spate of mall robberies began in August.
“The intensive work we’ve done since Monday has yielded phenomenal success,” Moonoo said.
Included in those 532 suspects are four people who have been charged with the brutal murder of an elderly couple from Hercules outside Pretoria in August.
Earlier this month, six suspects were held in connection with a robbery in Lenasia South. They were profiled and linked to more robberies in the area.
A suspect arrested for robbery on Thursday was profiled and linked to 25 rape cases in Soshanguve and Booysens.
Police appealed to the public to come forward with any information they may have on criminal activities. Information can be shared with Crime Stop on 0860 010 111, or on SMS number 32211.
The Star