Burmeister saga continues

KNYSNA NEWS - Nearly four months after the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed (on July 30) that they were busy studying the perjury docket against police members who allegedly lied in the theft case against Warrant Officer Johan Burmeister, Eric Ntabazalila, spokesperson for the NPA, again said, "The decision on this matter is still pending."

On Monday, November 16 Ntabazalila added this statement to his several previous comments:

1. "A decision has not been made yet. We are still investigating what happened during the trial. We are still waiting for the perjury docket which was opened after the finalisation of the case and the transcripts of the trial as well as transcript of the disciplinary hearing in which a decision was taken to fire Mr Burmeister. These will assist to arrive at a decision." (May 8)

2. "A decision has not been made yet. We are still investigating what happened during the trial. We are still waiting for the perjury docket which was opened after the finalisation of the case and the transcripts of the trial as well as transcript of the disciplinary hearing in which a decision was taken to fire Mr Burmeister. These will assist to arrive at a decision." (June 9).

3. "I have forwarded this query to our George office and I am still waiting for them to respond. I will come back to you as soon as I get a response from them. Unfortunately, reasons on why the accused are still at work can only be answered by their employer as they are not employees of the NPA." (June 12).

4. "A docket was opened and it is still being investigated, meaning no decision has been taken regarding the prosecution of the police officers yet." (Also on June 12).

5. "No decision on this matter has been made yet. The docket was returned to the police with outstanding investigations. It has since been received back from the police and the George office will forward it to the Director of Public Prosecutions in Cape Town for a decision." (July 14).

6. "I can confirm that the docket has been received and it is being studied at the moment." (July 30).

7. "No decision has been taken yet." (August 4).

8. "There are no changes on the matter for now. It is still being dealt with. No decision has been taken yet." (August 18).

9. "No decision has been made yet on this matter. I will let you know when a decision is made." (August 24).

Burmeister was acquitted on a charge of theft on July 24 last year. During the court hearing, police officers had to admit that they had lied in their testimony against Burmeister. Only two days after Burmeister's hearing started, Magistrate Derek Torlage said: "There is no evidence on which to continue the case as all witnesses, with the exception of Captain Michelle Lesch, had admitted to either perjury and/or fraud or blatant lies and irregularities concerning police standing orders in the execution of their duties."

Even the prosecutor Tabby Thibedi had to admit that there was no evidence to continue with the trial and no evidence on which basis Burmeister could be found guilty.

The police members who admitted that they had lied, are still in the same positions they held before they lied under oath.

Burmeister's tribulations started on February 26 last year when he was arrested by Lieutenant-Colonel Jeffrey Matiwane, who accused him of stealing a laptop from the Knysna SAPS13 store. He was handcuffed and spent two days behind bars in the Plettenberg Bay Police cells.

It took Matiwane just a few days to decide to arrest Burmesister and five months later he stood trial, but a decision to prosecute the lying cops has now been dragging on for a year. In this time Burmeister suffered a serious heart attack on March 11.

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