GBV suspect 'released on warning' is granted bail for 2018 assault complaint

15 December 2021 - 17:14
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Police are probing why one of their own released the man on a warning.
Police are probing why one of their own released the man on a warning.
Image: Screenshot via Twitter

A man accused of assaulting a 32-year-old Pretoria woman who criticised police on social media for releasing him on a warning has been granted bail in a previous case of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

Patrick Sizwe Mahlalela appeared in the Atteridgeville magistrate’s court on Wednesday in connection with the 2018 matter opened in Pretoria west by the same complainant.

The 46-year-old was granted bail of R2,000. The bail conditions state he may not contact the victim, indirectly or directly. He is also not allowed to go to the victim’s house.

According to the charge sheet, on August 6 2018 at Lotus Gardens, Mahlalela pushed, dragged, strangled and tried to hit the woman with a motor vehicle.

Mahlalela has another pending case of assault where he was released on a warning.

The Pretoria woman lambasted police after the alleged abuser was arrested on Sunday and released on warning.

In a series of videos posted on social media, the woman, whose eye appeared to be  bruised, explained how she opened a case of assault at Silverton police station in Pretoria on Sunday.

She alleged she had opened multiple cases against the man she described as “making her life a living hell”.

“My abuser is roaming the streets as we speak. The police did nothing, nothing to help us. When we walked in here they were grovelling to him like a king and I knew something was going to happen,” she was recorded as saying.

Police spokesperson Brig Brenda Muridili on Monday confirmed the woman's version of events about her alleged abuser being released.

“The Silverton police arrested the suspect in the early hours of December 12. The case docket and the suspect were transferred by the Silverton police to SAPS Mamelodi for further investigation, as the incident occurred in Mamelodi.”

Muridili said the detective in Mamelodi allocated to the case charged the suspect with assault and released him on a warning to appear in court on December 30.

She said an internal disciplinary investigation into his release has been instituted.

The matter was postponed to January 12 for further investigation.

TimesLIVE


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