Police to pay out R3m

FIVE-YEAR legal wrangle has resulted in the police ministry being ordered to pay nearly R3-million in damages to a man who was shot in the head by police in a helicopter whose crew mistook him for a fleeing armed robber.

In addition to the damages, a costs order that could run into millions of rand was awarded as the ministry used every possible legal avenue to avoid taking the blame.

In the 2012-13 financial year there were thousands of complaints against police officers‚ and more than 700 deaths as a result of police action‚ necessitating a contingent liability for the police of about R20-billion to settle civil cases it might lose.

Incidents include the killing of 34 miners at Marikana‚ the dragging and death of Mozambican Mido Macia‚ the shooting of Ficksburg activist Andries Tatane‚ and complaints of increased use of torture by police.

Most of the proceedings were under the watch of former police minister Nathi Mthethwa and not the recently appointed Nathi Nhleko.

It was common cause in the South Gauteng High Court that Lloyd Hendricks suffered gunshot wounds to his head after police fired shots from a helicopter on May 6 2009.

Bullet fragments remain in his head because it would be life threatening to remove them. He has suffered from epilepsy since the shooting.

In a judgment‚ handed down last week, Acting Judge Colleen Twala said the R250000 the police wanted to pay Hendricks was not reasonable. She awarded R2.9-million. – BDlive