Cape Town – A top South African athlete has to appear in the Paarl Magistrate's Court on June 29 for alleged contravention of the lockdown regulations in Stellenbosch.
Western Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana said in response to an enquiry on Thursday: "A 29-year-old man was given a notice to appear in court for contravening Disaster Management Act regulations on 2020-05-20 in Stellenbosch. He is expected to appear in court on June 29."
He was reportedly arrested at his parents' home in Mbekweni on Wednesday, Netwerk24 reported. According to sources, the 29-year-old allegedly contravened the lockdown regulations by buying alcohol.
The athlete's case aside, according to many experts in the legal fraternity, some charges emanating from lockdown arrests will not stick in court, so it's best to challenge any matter in court.
If the alleged perpetrator pays an admission of guilt fine, he/she will end up with a criminal record, when in many cases their legal rights have been violated.
A rise in civil claims for damages for unlawful arrest is expected against the police and law enforcement for the heavyhanded manner under which some arrests took place.