MEET ’N GREET ‘Cop demanded bribe’
SEXUAL ASSAULT: ACCUSED’S WIFE SAYS ‘OFFICER’ WANTED R10 000
Teacher remains in custody and judgment is expected today.
The police officer investigating a Valhalla primary school teacher who allegedly sexually assaulting 24 children has been accused of requesting a bribe from the accused’s family to make the heinous crime disappear.
The 55-year-old Afrikaans school teacher stood before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court yesterday to apply for bail for his 24 counts of sexual assault, common assault and crimen injuria.
The man has been behind bars since his arrest last Thursday, after handing himself over to the police, accompanied by his attorney.
Investigating officer Captain Johannes Mkhondo testified that parents came forward to the police after their children, aged between 10 and 14 years, alleged their Afrikaans teacher sexually assaulted them on numerous occasions.
Mkhondo suggested that the accused not be granted bail as he believed the teacher’s safety was in danger.
The officer claimed someone had contacted the teacher’s wife, claiming to be the investigating officer.
He said upon arriving at the accused’s Soshanguve home to confirm his address, the teacher’s wife had questioned why Mkhondo had not called her like he did when visiting the accused’s mother’s home in Pretoria North.
Mkhondo was accused of demanding a R10 000 bribe to conceal the case. According to the defence lawyer, the accused’s wife received an SMS from Mkhondo on Tuesday night, demanding the money.
Again, the officer denied contacting the accused’s wife.
“I can give you both my cellphones right now so you can check,” he said.
“There is no other Mkhondo at the FCS (family violence, child protection and sexual offences unit). There is no other Mkhondo at the police station,” he said.
Mkhondo has denied it was him and claimed someone may have been impersonating him.
“I told her I don’t even have her number. I never called the wife of the accused but they [the family] allege I was there to confirm the address.
“I don’t know who impersonated me. I even showed her my employment certificate and the case docket. I don’t know any other Captain Mkhondo that visited the family,” the officer said.
Despite the teacher stating through his lawyer that he was innocent, he could, however, face more charges as four other minor boys still needed to submit statements, the court heard.
Meanwhile, the state prosecutor Sanet Jacobson has opposed bail as the accused could abscond and there’s a possibility he would reoffend.
This after the pupils had previously complained to the school’s deputy principal of the sexual assaults in July last year. However, the accused allegedly continued with the sexual assaults.
The matter was postponed to today for judgment. –