/ 3 June 2007

Metro cops to sue McBride

Three metro cops who apparently flouted procedure by removing Ekurhuleni metro police boss Robert McBride from the scene of his accident are now suing him, the Saturday Star reported.

The three, Stanley Segathevan, Patrick Johnstone and Ithumeleng Koko, are suing their boss and the Ekurhuleni metro police department for R4,5-million.

Their attorney, Saleem Ebrahim, said he was finalising papers to be filed at the Labour Court claiming R1,5-million each from McBride for harassment, discrimination and constructive dismissal.

”Because my clients were physically prevented from delivering their written grievances at their workplace, it seems unlikely that there will be an internal remedy. This is why we are going to the Labour Court,” he told the paper.

The men, reportedly McBride’s close friends, turned on their boss after they were barred from entering Ekurhuleni police stations. It was alleged that McBride levelled unfounded allegations against the men, the report said.

McBride was involved in a single-vehicle accident on the R51 near Centurion on December 21 2006.

Witnesses at the scene alleged to the media that McBride was ”blind drunk” and that they had been assaulted and threatened by metro police officers.

The three had then apparently whisked McBride away from the accident scene, flouting police procedure.

McBride denied having been drunk — or having any recollection of how the accident happened or where he had been driving to. – Sapa