In the judgment, the court ordered the minister to pay the victims R102 000 and R70 000. (Alfonso Nqunjana/News24)
A full bench
of the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has ordered the minister of police to pay
almost R200 000 in damages to two women after officers unlawfully detained them
and solicited a bribe from one of them.
Judges
Anthony Millar and Luleka Flatela, as well as Deputy Judge President Aubrey
Ledwaba heard the appeal the two women, Helga Muller and Yolandi Bell, lodged
after the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court dismissed their action for damages.
In the
judgment, handed down on Wednesday, the High Court upheld the appeal and
ordered the minister to pay Muller R102 000 and Bell R70 000, and to fork out
for the costs of their action.
South Africans need to be in the know if we want to create a prosperous future. News24 has kept the country informed for 25 years, and we’re about to enter a new chapter of fearless journalism. Join our free subscription trial to unlock this story and a world of news aimed to inform, empower, and inspire.