Restaurant sues cops over booze theft

A criminal charge has been laid at the Garsfontein police station after a Pretoria restaurant owner discovered some of the premium alcohol was replaced with tea and other booze was missing after police confiscated it earlier this year.

Yesterday, Werner Pretorius, the owner of Hennies Pub and Restaurant in Moreleta Park in Pretoria, along with AfriForum representatives met at the police station to open a criminal case against the police for theft.

This after police pounced on the establishment and accused it of selling alcohol illegally on 22 January.

Restaurant manager Atrayo Nolte was arrested and alcohol worth about R112 000 was confiscated. But when it was returned later, some of it was missing.

Among the missing alcohol were bottles of premium whiskey, rum and wine. Nonalcoholic gin bottles were also missing.

Pretorius said when the stock was returned, there was not only stock missing, but some of it was replaced.

“The premium brandy was replaced with tea and sanitiser was found in the gin bottles,” Pretorius said.

He said Nolte is still traumatised by the incident.

AfriForum’s campaign manager Jacques Broodryk said they will keep an eye on the case.

“Let hope they take this case seriously,” Broodryk said.

Advocate Gerrie Nel, who heads the Private Prosecution Unit, said this was one of several cases they have been involved in as a result of police officers allegedly abusing their power.