DA Councillor fights for man falsely accused

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) February 4, 2011 -- During the early hours of the morning of 29th October 2010 Mr. Danana Joseph Shange, who is a resident of Botha’s Hill, was woken by a number of individuals dressed in SAPS uniforms. After severely beating Mr. Shange and destroying the personal items in his house they left. Upon leaving they mistakenly left a stun grenade on top of his refrigerator.

Mr. Shange attempted to report the crime and turn the stun grenade over to Hillcrest Police Station, he was turned away by the officers on duty. The next day he attempted to turn the grenade in a Pinetown Police Station where he was arrested and charged with being in possession of an explosive device.

Mr Shange remained in custody for approximately 2 weeks until he was released on a bail of R2000. After months of fighting the system by Councillor Rick Crouch, the charges were finally withdrawn on Wednesday 2nd February 2011.

“I was contacted in November by Mr Tony Van Der Merwe who employs Mr Shange as a gardener”, said Cllr Crouch “I arraigned for Mr Shange to give a statement to then Hillcrest station commissioner Col Zondi, I had no confidence in him pursuing the issue of the beating. After Col Zondi was recently replaced as station commissioner by Col Kweyama I called to check on the status of the case and was told it was closed.” Cllr Crouch went on to say.

“After speaking with Col Kweyama the case was reviewed. Col Kweyama then submitted a statement in the form of a letter to the senior prosecutor in Pinetown which resulted in the charges being withdrawn.

We need more police officers like Col Kweyama, in this case the justice system worked for Mr. Shange but who knows what would have happened if he did not have people fighting for him. And then there is still the case of the beating he took at the hands of the police, he is still in physical and emotional pain as a result of this incident.” Said Cllr Crouch

“I would like to commend Councillor Rick Crouch on the efforts he put in to assist Joseph, without him Joseph would most likely be looking at a long prison term for something he did not do, I now need to find Joseph a lawyer to get reparations for the unlawful beating from the police”, said Mr Van Der Merwe

CONTACT:
Councillor Rick Crouch
073 418-6996
councillor@ward93.co.za

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