A CHATSWORTH policeman was dismissed after video footage went viral of him escorting an accused to his home after getting bail.
In April, Yaganathan Pillay, aka Teddy Mafia, 62, was arrested in a multi-disciplinary police operation at his home in Shallcross.
The police found unlicensed firearms, and they seized R700 000 in cash as well as gold and silver coins estimated to be valued at R250 000.
Weeks later, Pillay, who faced charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, was released from prison on R5 000 bail at the Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court.
A video began circulating of a fourcar convoy, including a state police vehicle, as Pillay arrived home to cheers in a Nissan bakkie.
Brigadier Jay Naicker, a provincial police spokesperson, later said they were investigating the matter and the police’s alleged misconduct.
On Friday, Sergeant Trevor Chetty, who drove the police vehicle in the video, was dismissed.
He told the POST this week that he would appeal the dismissal as he believed the ruling was unfair.
Chetty said he was following instructions that were given to him.
He said he had been a policeman for 18 years and that the dismissal had upset him and his family.
“I come from a line of policemen. My dad was an officer and my older brother. From the time I was in school, I wanted to be an officer, and now my name is being dragged through the mud. I am shattered, but I have hope that I will be reinstated.”
He said he was liaising with an official from the office of the Public Protector to discuss the matter.
Naicker said following an independent internal investigation, the two policemen who were implicated were subjected to internal disciplinary proceedings.
“On conclusion of the disciplinary trial, the presiding officer imposed a sanction of dismissal against one of the police officers, while the other was imposed with a sanction of one-month suspension without a salary for his role.
“The provincial commissioner confirmed the sanction of dismissal from the SAPS, which was imposed on one of the members on October 26, 2020. We respect the findings of the investigation and disciplinary proceedings.
“We, once again, wish to thank extremely concerned members of the community who brought such serious misconduct to our attention and reaffirm our commitment to deal decisively with police officers accused of misconduct and criminality.”
POST