Colonel says attempt made to frame her
THE Sunday Times has obtained a copy of an official SAPS grievance statement made by Colonel Hansia Asaram, station commander of Goodwood police station.
Dated July 19 2013, it sheds light on what triggered the Hawks investigation into the Western Cape’s top cops.
It is understood that it was Asaram’s criminal case, opened early last year, that led to the Hawks investigation into policemen linked to known criminals and businessmen.
“On February 24, I was instructed by the cluster commander [Brigadier Darius van der Ross] to attend a meeting with him as the people of N1 City were complaining of high crime rates,” she said.
“The venue was at Cape Towbars . . . there were no other business owners except for [Mohamed Salim] Dawjee and Brigadier Van der Ross . . . I excused myself from this meeting as police matters on which I was questioned about had nothing to do with him.
“Due to several reports from members [of the SAPS] and the constant harassment from Dawjee, it was deemed necessary for my office to launch a corruption inquiry as Dawjee was too involved in police business.
“On my opening the corruption inquiry, Brigadier Van der Ross’s attitude to me changed.”
Asaram said attempts were made by Van der Ross and Dawjee to frame her and a Colonel Hansraj of crime intelligence.
Asaram and Hansraj are said to be in a relationship.
She and Hansraj were accused of taking cellphones from a Pakistani businessman.
“On September 11 2012, I and a group of my officers followed up on allegations of me taking cellphones. I found the Pakistani at Dawjee’s business premises. In our presence, Dawjee threatened and swore at the Pakistani. The Pakistani denied making any such allegations of me taking cellphones from him.”
Dawjee told the Sunday Times: “Asaram threatened the Pakistani. That’s why he denied any knowledge of her taking his cellphones . . . I have a film of her threatening him in my office.”
In a three-page letter dated October 21, addressed to provincial police chief LieutenantGeneral Arno Lamoer, Van der Ross said the police investigation against him (and Lamoer and others) was driven by “a trio of people — Colonel Asaram, Colonel Hansraj and a Lieutenant-Colonel Enus of the Hawks”.
“It is my submission that my movement, conversations, advice and whatever policing direction concerned are under scrutiny. I have a sense that my phones are tapped, my office bugged and my car tailed to find anything against me. My emotional state borders on rage against members [of the SAPS] involved in trying to frame me,” Van der Ross wrote.