The Zimbabwean student accused of trying to hijack a domestic Johannesburg-bound aircraft last month has alleged he was not informed of his rights, the Bellville Magistrate’s court heard on Monday.
However, the investigating officer, Superintendent Lungisile Manyana, denied this under cross-examination by Josua Greeff, representing alleged hijacker Tinashe Rioga (21) in his bail application.
”The first time the accused was handed to me at Cape Town International airport … I warned him immediately,” said Manyana.
Manyana said he told Rioga who he was, informed him he was being investigated in connection with the attempted hijacking and advised him of his right to remain silent.
Manyana said he told Rioga, who is alleged to have brandished a hypodermic syringe before being overpowered by fellow passengers, he was not obliged to say anything in answer to the allegations lest he incriminate himself.
Manyana said he asked Rioga if he understood his rights, and if he had anything to say.
”That is when he decided to tell me,” Manyana of Rioga’s response.
Greeff said his instructions were that police only informed Rioga of his rights at a later stage, when he was in custody at the Bellville South police station.
”That is not true,” answered Manyana, adding that Rioga’s confusion could stem from the fact that the police’s official written warning, an SAP 14(a) form, was handed to Rioga to fill in.
Earlier, before Magistrate Suzette Marais, Manyana told the court that South African Airways told him that it cost the airliner R117 796 to turn the aircraft around 30 minutes after it had taken off from Cape Town.
The amount — R53 016 for Cape Town and R64 780 in Johannesburg — was primarily for transport and accommodation costs for inconvenienced passengers, and did not include fuel costs. — Sapa