South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Monday, 24 July 2023

South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Monday, 24 July 2023 Photo: Screenshots via Twitter video/@IanCameron23.

Action Society demands addition of attempted murder charges

Action Society’s legal team lodged a formal complaint against the police officers involved in the #BlueLightMafia viral video.

South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Monday, 24 July 2023

South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Monday, 24 July 2023 Photo: Screenshots via Twitter video/@IanCameron23.

Despite the suspension of SAPS VIP Protection unit, Action Society is not just demanding more charges to be added but willing to help the victims lay them.

ACTION SOCIETY GOING ALL OUT FOR JUSTICE


Action Society’s legal team lodged a formal complaint against the police officers involved in the #BlueLightMafia video this morning, under the provisions of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) Act, which mandates IPID to conduct independent and impartial investigations of specified criminality committed by members of SAPS. In the complaint, Action Society demands that charges of attempted murder, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, intimidation and pointing of a firearm should be investigated.

ALSO READ: VIP Protection Unit in viral incident served with suspension letters

THE QUESTIONABLE CHARGES AGAINST THE VIP PROTECTION UNIT MEMBERS

According to Ian Cameron, the Director of Community Safety at Action Society, despite the overwhelming evidence in the viral #BlueLightMafia video to confirm his statement, IPID filed only one charge of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm at the Sandton police station after conducting an interview with Mr L’vaughn Fisher, the driver who was dragged out of the blue Volkswagen Polo.

“He was hit over the head with an assault rifle and then repeatedly kicked in the head while already unconscious from the first rifle blows. After we spoke about his physical injuries, I asked how he was emotionally. He went silent and after a long pause he said: I am not okay,” he relayed.

“We have a copy of Mr Fisher’s statement and after reading it, it is unimaginable that only one charge was laid.”

Cameron

ALSO READ: The REAL function of SAPS VIP Protection Services

A FEARFUL ORDEAL FOR THE VICTIMS


“They feared for their lives. One of the black BMW X5’s drove up to Mr Fisher’s side and an assault rifle was pointed at him. At that moment, Mr Fisher was convinced that they were going to be hijacked and continued driving in hopes of escaping. He had no reason to suspect that the passengers in the BMW’s were law enforcement as none of the BMW’s had their blue lights flashing or sirens on to identify them as police. When the second BMW pulled in front of their vehicle, they were forced to the side of the highway and had to stop. The armed men’s attempts to break through the front window failed, but they succeeded to break through the back window using a rifle and then opened the driver’s side door. At that stage they hit Mr Fisher in the head with a firearm and continued to drag him out of the vehicle at which time Mr. Fisher lost consciousness,” he further relayed the incident.

Cameron said Action Society obtained an official mandate from Mr Fisher to assist him with criminal and possible civil charges against the officers, the relevant commanders and even the Police minister.

“Action Society is demanding that the whole senior management of the VIP Protection unit of SAPS should be restructured and the necessity for their existence should be re-evaluated completely. Thousands of South Africans have already supported Action Society’s Ban the #BlueLightMafia campaign with the hashtag even trending on Twitter,” he concluded.

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