'Granting bail to people arrested for serious crimes such as assault and malicious damage to property' - 'Nearly 60 case dockets have gone missing'

The Mahikeng police station, in the North West, needs to be investigated for the poor management of its prisoners, Parliament’s police portfolio committee said on Tuesday.

Committee chairwoman Sindi Chikunga said the committee had discovered that officers at the station were granting bail to people arrested for serious crimes such as assault and malicious damage to property.

The committee visited the station on Monday.

Chikunga said the situation was unique to the Mahikeng station.

“We need a full, detailed investigation and report on this matter.

“If it was one case we would understand that it was a mistake, but the entire bail receipt book is filled with these incidents,” she said.

Chikunga said the committee found that the bail conditions file at the community service centre was not being properly managed.

“For instance, the file has the [bail] papers that need to be signed, but does not explain the conditions under which people are granted bail,” he said. “Things like how often a person needs to present themselves to the station to sign are not accompanying the paper the person signs on.” 

Chikunga said officials at the station could not explain the lack of information.

“We cannot tell if the people reporting as required by their bail conditions are meeting those conditions that they were released on,” she said.   “If you go through the file carefully there might be crimes committed there.” 

The committee also found that nearly 60 case dockets had gone missing at the station.

Chikunga said the committee also found contraband, including shoe laces and shaving blades in almost every cell at the station.

One person had spent two years and nine months in the station cells while awaiting trial.