/ 22 March 2011

Prosecutors look into assault complaint against Shaik

Prosecutors Look Into Assault Complaint Against Shaik

Prosecuting authorities have received the police docket relating to fraud convict Schabir Shaik’s alleged assault of a reporter, and will decide whether prosecution is warranted, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.

“Yes, we have received the docket and the [KwaZulu-Natal] acting director of public prosecutions, advocate [Simphiwe] Mlotshwa, will go through the contents of the document and decide whether to prosecute,” said Natasha Ramkisson.

It was reported recently that Shaik allegedly assaulted Sunday Tribune journalist Amanda Khoza, who had been assigned the story of covering him playing golf at the Papwa Sewgolum course outside Durban.

Police spokesperson Phindile Radebe said the docket had been handed over and she could not discuss its contents.

Taken to prison
The Sunday Tribune reported that Khoza received an SMS on March 4 saying the case had been transferred to provincial level and that she would receive a decision within a fortnight.

A second report of an alleged assault by Shaik over a parking infringement outside a mosque was not reported to police or to the department of correctional services.

Following the reports of alleged assault, Shaik was last Monday taken to the Westville Prison, but was released on Wednesday with a finding that he had not violated his parole conditions — the alleged victim of the second assault could not be traced, while correctional services would wait for the outcome of the police investigation into the alleged assault against Khoza.

Shaik has served just more than two years of a 15-year-prison sentence for fraud and corruption linked to allegations of facilitating a bribe from an arms company to Jacob Zuma before he became president. A follow-up case against Zuma and arms company Thint was dropped shortly before the 2009 elections when the national director of public prosecutions declared parts of the investigation problematic.

When Shaik was paroled, there were suggestions that this was because of his political ties. — Sapa