13 Apr 2020

Shakawe police have arrested some employees of Kauzwi Primary School for allegedly stealing by person employed in the public service.

The four suspects were reported to have opened the school storeroom on Saturday, taking some food items belonging to pupils.

District No. 5 officer commanding, Senior Superintendent Peter Gochela said they arrested the employees following a tip-off that they were seen loading some food stuff into one of them's vehicle.

The food items included four packets of Rooibos tea, 11 750ml cooking oil, two 25kgs of samp, five 10kg sorghum meal and five 12,5kg sugar, all valued at over P2 000. He said police officers traced the vehicle to the owner’s house and he confessed to have taken the said food items.

On other issues, he said starting tomorrow they were going to enforce Section 28 of the COVID-19 regulations in an effort to minimise movement of people in order to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Section 28 states that where a law enforcement officer has reasonable cause to believe that a person is in violation of the regulations, he may stop, detain, question and arrest such a person and confiscate items being used by that person if he considers it necessary.

Sub section 2 says any person who assaults, obstructs, hinders or resists or uses threatening or abusive language or aids or incites any other person to assault, obstruct, hinder or resist any law enforcement officer in the execution of their duty commits an offence.

Senior Superintendent  Gochela said they had given the public time to familiarise themselves with the regulations, and that it was time to enforce the law. He pointed out that many people had been failing to account for their movements despite efforts encouraging all to stay home during the extreme social distancing period.

Some, he said, had been uncooperative at roadblocks while some insulted law enforcement officers on duty. He underscored the need for all to obey the law, noting that regulations were not meant to punish anyone but to manage the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus.

“People must note that COVID-19 is a deadly disease and we are the solution to the situation hence we should evoke the regulation. We also expect law enforcement officers to be respected,” he added.

He said any person who obstructed law enforcement officers was liable to a charge not exceeding P100 000 or five years imprisonment. ENDS