Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Ombudsman confirms wrongdoing by SAPS in Douglas murder case
AN INVESTIGATION conducted by the Western Cape police ombudsman has found wrongdoing on the part of Nyanga police station in the case of 30-year-old Craig Douglas of Edgemead, who was allegedly beaten and stabbed to death by three men for his vehicle.
Last year, the clerk at Wynberg Regional Court confirmed the murder case of Douglas had been removed from the court roll and would be reinstated once the docket had been located and the evidence had become available.
Suspects named were Zandre van Niekerk, Edmonde Hoogbaard and Reagan Smith .
The case was taken off the roll due to evidence such as video footage, the murder weapon and DNA going missing. The docket had also been misplaced.
Douglas’s parents decided to report Nyanga police to the Western Cape ombudsman. This month, in a strongly worded letter, the ombudsman’s findings stated that Nyanga police station was at fault, in that they had failed to follow due process and protocol.
To date, the family confirmed that despite the ombudsman’s findings, the investigating officer never contacted them and the case was yet to be placed back onto the court roll.
The ombudsman has indicated that the provincial police commissioner should be informed and the necessary steps should be taken.
“It is unfortunate that this policing inefficiency has remained unremedied for two years. However, we have brought this to the attention of the provincial police commissioner.
“We have recommended that appropriate steps be initiated by the commissioner to remedy the identified inefficiency,” the ombudsman said in the letter.
Douglas left his home on November 30, 2019, to visit a friend in Heideveld. On his way home, he became disoriented and stopped alongside the road in Athlone.
Douglas’s killers smashed his car windows while it was locked. They beat and stabbed him and placed his body in the passenger seat before dumping him at Monwabisi beach.
His mother, Gail Douglas, reported him missing and two days later the family found his body at the morgue after it was discovered by local fishermen.
Gail said she was frustrated and emotional at the numerous emails and complaints calling for the cased to be placed back onto the roll.
“I am so angry, deflated, hurt, tired of all the emails and telephone calls to everyone related to the investigation process of my son’s murder. The last court date was September 9, 2021, and nothing has transpired since then.
“When I spoke to officers at Nyanga police station on January 20, they said they were still busy with the footage downloading and DNA. I have never heard from the investigating detective from the police station.
“Why is this taking so long to get back on the court roll? I cannot believe that our judicial system is so slow. I go through so many emotions every day; only someone who has gone through this terrible experience will understand the pain that shadows you always. Your life changes forever,” Gail added.
Douglas’ father, John, also sent emails setting out their complaints.
“The prosecutor explained that the case had been struck off the roll; video footage and DNA was still missing, plus the docket was missing. He will find the docket; it’s probably been mis-filed.
“He’ll put the case back on the roll once police have brought forward all the information. I have never heard from anyone at the police station and I then filed a complaint to the Western Cape police ombudsman,” John said.
Weekend Argus sent several emails to both provincial and national police about the ombudsman’s findings, but received no response.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila also promised feedback, but after nearly a week, none was forthcoming.