KNYSNA NEWS - A police officer lost his job, his fiancé and had his reputation tainted after he was falsely accused of rape. Twelve years later he is still picking up the pieces and is fighting to be reinstated.

Jazon Harker was serving as a police officer in the Northern Cape when he was charged with rape in Knysna in 2008. He was subsequently dismissed from his job in 2009.

Harker was acquitted in 2010 and the complainant made a statement to the police in 2011 stating that she had lied about the rape.

The woman was charged with perjury and defeating the ends of justice in 2015 but was only found guilty last year.

Harker says he has been fighting to be reinstated since his acquittal in 2010 and claims to have exhausted all communication mediums in trying to get the police service to listen and to attend to his request.

Responding on behalf of the Northern Cape provincial corporate communications department, spokesman Colonel Mashay Gamieldien said Harker was dishonourably discharged from the South African Police Service on 8 March 2010.

He said: "The police is under no obligation to communicate on the internal departmental processes followed. It must also be noted that the departmental and criminal cases are two separate processes. If the member feels that he was unfairly dismissed he is welcome to approach the Labour Court and apply for an appeal in this matter."

The 39-year-old Harker, who says he is still burning with passion to serve the police, said he did not wish to sue the state and harbours no feelings of anger towards the woman. 

"My whole life crumbled right before my eyes and there was nothing I could do about it. All I want to do now is pick up the pieces and go back to doing the one thing I love," Harker said.

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