IT engineer to be compensated for wrongful arrest

PRETORIA: A good deed by a technician turned into a nightmare after he removed a laptop from a boardroom and locked it away for safekeeping while waiting to locate its owner. Instead, he was arrested for theft.

Nick Jacobs, an IT engineer, had to spend a harrowing night in a filthy police cell before police realised they should never have arrested him.

Jacobs, who lives in Randburg, was claiming R750 000 in damages in the High Court in Pretoria from the police for unlawful arrest.

Judge Cynthia Pretorius yesterday ruled that the police were liable for the damages Jacobs could prove he had suffered. The amount due to him would be decided at a later stage.

Jacobs was arrested on February 22, 2012 at Rand Merchant Bank in Sandton, where he was commissioned to do some work. He said the arrest took place in full view of his co-employees and he was terribly embarrassed.