Awards for top Phoenix SAPS detective
THE man who ensured justice was served for a young Verulam girl who was repeatedly raped and abused by her stepfather, has been awarded for his hard work.
Detective Warrant Officer Nervarge Lutchminarain, who serves at the Phoenix police station, was recently honoured by the SAPS at provincial level.
Lutchminarain was awarded trophies for his dedication to the force and for his long-term service in the family violence, child protection and sexual offences (FSC) unit.
He has served in the police force for 28 years and has been heralded for a number of major arrests.
Lutchminarain said he initially wanted to become a civil engineer, but changed his path.
“I wanted to become a civil engineer and that's the course I chose at school. However, in 1990 my mum was robbed at gunpoint, which led me to change my career choice.
“I wanted to try to make a difference in the community. I joined the SAPS in 1993, trained in Hammanskraal, then I was stationed at SAPS Umhlali. In 2001 I joined FSC,” he said.
Lutchminarain said he had fallen in love with his job, and the passion remained.
He said while serving in the FSC his vow to serve and to protect had been extended to helping to restore survivors of gender-based violence, and that he ensured perpetrators faced “the full might of the law”.
Thembeka Mbele, SAPS spokesperson, said Lutchminarain is a valuable officer in the force.
He had made history as the first police officer to help convict a woman of rape, in 2008.
Mbele said through Lutchminarain’s dedication to his work, a 28-year-old woman was sentenced to life imprisonment and an additional 15 years for raping her 14-year-old nephew.
She also highlighted a recent case Lutchminarain solved when he teamed up with his colleagues to save a 10-yearold girl who was abused and sexually violated by her stepfather.
The case was widely covered in the media.
“The case was opened at the Verulam police station and was transferred to the Phoenix FCS. The details of such a horrific life experience by a girl at such a tender age propelled detective Lutchminarain to tighten up his investigation against the suspect and make sure that justice prevailed.
“As the detective was busy with his investigation, he received news that the suspect had escaped from hospital. This was a disaster because his efforts of trying to win the child’s trust would be dashed should the suspect not be found.
“All hands were on deck to make sure the suspect did not get too far; the members worked hard in trying to find him and indeed his freedom was shortlived. He was rearrested and detained. The next task for the detective was to oppose the suspect’s bail application and he did so successfully at the Verulam Magistrate’s Court.
Mbele said Lutchminarain was thorough in his investigations.
“The detective had picked up from the young survivor that the accused had pornographic material on his phone. He booked out the accused’s cellphone and took it to the cyber crime unit in Durban for analysis.
“When the results came back he felt that there was something more on the phone that could be extracted, so he decided to take the same device to the cyber crime offices in Pretoria.
“The unit in Pretoria managed to get the hidden files in the phone which contained child pornographic material as well as other of a sexual nature.
“Armed with such information, the detective was ready to present his case in court against the accused.
“Owing to the nature of the evidence collected by detective Lutchminarain, the prosecution decided that the matter should be heard at the high court.”
Mbele said the accused was indicted and had to answer to 56 counts, which included rape, sexual grooming, possession of child pornography and sexual exploitation.
“The matter was heard at the Durban High Court and on December 11, 2020, he was found guilty on 33 counts and later sentenced.”
The detective received awards for best conviction, life sentence achievement, and all-rounder in the FCS.
Lutchminarain said what keeps him driven is this motto: “What has to be done now must be done now because later might be too late.”