'I won't help a victim again'

[Rudolph]

'I won't help a victim again' (http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2389500,00.html)
07/09/2008 09:34 - (SA)


Pretoria - Stefan Kloppers rushed to help a woman, tackling a thief who had stolen her cellphone. But now this hero is being charged with assault with the intention of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Kloppers, 34, of Cullinan was arrested within minutes of his brave deed on July 20.

He was held for two days in a police cell before he was released on bail.
"Never again will I help a victim of crime in SA," said Kloppers after his second appearance in court.

Tackled him

Kloppers is being prosecuted even though police have still not taken a statement from the "victim", the suspected thief. Police have also not arrested the suspected thief for stealing the phone.

Kloppers had that night been having dinner with friends at a restaurant in Hatfield. They were on their way to his car when they saw an informal parking guard harass the woman.

"I thought he wanted money and walked on. Suddenly the woman yelled and said he had her cellphone. I chased after him and tackled him like I did at school when I was playing rugby," said Kloppers.

He took the phone from the man's hand and gave it back to the woman. "He didn't argue," said Kloppers.

He got into his car and saw how bystanders came closer and kicked the thief.

As he left the parking area, he was stopped by five security guards who told him to stay there as they had seen "exactly" what had happened.
Police were called and Kloppers was taken to the police station where he thought he would make a statement about the incident. Instead he was arrested.

His legal representative objected to the State postponing the case again for a statement from the alleged thief. The court heard that police had not been able to find the suspected thief.
When the court was told that the so-called victim was also a suspected thief, Magistrate Christopher Chokwe said, "When someone steals your phone, you don't attack him. You call the police."

[PeterRJG]

Lunacy.

He's been charged for assault against someone who can't be found. What did the woman who owned the cellphone have to say?

[Dr_ColoSSus]

I wonder if Kloppers is white and the 'thief' is black?
And if that has anything to do with him being charged?


When the court was told that the so-called victim was also a suspected thief, Magistrate Christopher Chokwe said, "When someone steals your phone, you don't attack him. You call the police."

Wow, looks like the judiciary is just as out of touch no matter which country you live in.

[Ozzy[NO]]

"When someone steals your phone, you don't attack him. You call the police."

Gotta love that sentence! :bash:

[Mr.K]

;3530741']Gotta love that sentence! :bash:

Yes you better if you don't want to be charged with something, common sense and judicial system are two different things.:-(

[Cedan]

Crazy stuff, someone's obviously on a mission...:(

[little icebear]

When the court was told that the so-called victim was also a suspected thief, Magistrate Christopher Chokwe said, "When someone steals your phone, you don't attack him. You call the police."

I was under the impression, that in SA you´re actually allowed to use lethal force in order to defend your property.

[Herrmannek]

I was under the impression, that in SA you´re actually allowed to use lethal force in order to defend your property.

Yup, but only if you issue dead body as a evidence.

[Rudolph]

I was under the impression, that in SA you´re actually allowed to use lethal force in order to defend your property.

Maybe on paper, but mostly it's white people defending themselves against the poor blacks who cannot help but commit crime to survive... The liberals whites as well cry their eyes out everytime a white person shoots a black person in self-defence.

[SilverBoy]

Utter bull**** to be frank.

And on a sidenote, I just realized today that Tony Yengeni's daughter is in my class.

[name already taken]

'I won't help a victim again' (http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2389500,00.html)
07/09/2008 09:34 - (SA)


Pretoria - Stefan Kloppers rushed to help a woman, tackling a thief who had stolen her cellphone. But now this hero is being charged with assault with the intention of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Kloppers, 34, of Cullinan was arrested within minutes of his brave deed on July 20.

He was held for two days in a police cell before he was released on bail.
"Never again will I help a victim of crime in SA," said Kloppers after his second appearance in court.

Tackled him

Kloppers is being prosecuted even though police have still not taken a statement from the "victim", the suspected thief. Police have also not arrested the suspected thief for stealing the phone.

Kloppers had that night been having dinner with friends at a restaurant in Hatfield. They were on their way to his car when they saw an informal parking guard harass the woman.

"I thought he wanted money and walked on. Suddenly the woman yelled and said he had her cellphone. I chased after him and tackled him like I did at school when I was playing rugby," said Kloppers.

He took the phone from the man's hand and gave it back to the woman. "He didn't argue," said Kloppers.

He got into his car and saw how bystanders came closer and kicked the thief.

As he left the parking area, he was stopped by five security guards who told him to stay there as they had seen "exactly" what had happened.
Police were called and Kloppers was taken to the police station where he thought he would make a statement about the incident. Instead he was arrested.

His legal representative objected to the State postponing the case again for a statement from the alleged thief. The court heard that police had not been able to find the suspected thief.
When the court was told that the so-called victim was also a suspected thief, Magistrate Christopher Chokwe said, "When someone steals your phone, you don't attack him. You call the police."
Same thing here in Canada and in former British colonies.

Only the Crown can use violence. Well, we're British subjects, so I presume that's why.

[tyovan]

I wonder if Kloppers is white and the 'thief' is black?


This is exactly what I was wondering too...

[Rudolph]

This is exactly what I was wondering too...

The guy being charged has an Afrikaner name, so he's white, and car guards are 99.9% of the time black... so...

[BlackFlag]

;3530741']Gotta love that sentence! :bash:

sounds like a bushism.

[deagle]

if thats the case, i'd sue the cops for not doing their job of being at the service of the public.

[orange]

Same thing here in Canada and in former British colonies.

Only the Crown can use violence. Well, we're British subjects, so I presume that's why.
Here in Sweden everyone is authorized to make citizen arrests as long as you witness the crime and that the crime is punishable with prison.

While making the arrest you are authorized to use "defendeble force", ie, the force that it takes to hold criminal until police arrives. If the criminal is trying really hard to get away you are allowed to use more force than earlier and if he takes a hit at you or something along those lines you are allowed to hurt him a "little" bit...

[domokun]

I have to say that, what the fvck is going on in South Africa? Is SA too turning to rabble like rest of Africa?

[PanzerMaster]

Necklace (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necklacing) (SA style) the judges and the cops who charged him and tell to the remaining others: "When someone commit a crime is a criminal and must be stopped. Stop. Period, now back to work maggots".

[Calanen]

We should give Mr Kloppers a passport to come and live here in Australia.

I'd have to leave SA if I was there, its just too far gone.

[playtym]

I wonder if Kloppers is white and the 'thief' is black?
And if that has anything to do with him being charged?

Absolutely.
Kloppers is white, the "informal parking guard" will be black, and the five security guards who detained him after seeing "exactly" what happened will also be black. It is no doubt their statements that resulted in Kloppers being arrested.

If you look a little deeper - why didn't the security guards stop the thief? Are they operating as a syndicate, and splitting the proceeds of the theft, or are they just lying to protect their jobs?




I was under the impression, that in SA you´re actually allowed to use lethal force in order to defend your property.

That was the case, but the section that provided for it under the law has been amended.

On 21 May 2002 the Constitutional Court delivered judgment in the case of S v Walter (CCT 28/01). The judgment concerned the constitutionality of section 49 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 (Act No 51 of 1977). In its judgment the Constitutional Court declared section 49(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 unconstitutional. The court also ruled that this decision does not apply to actions carried out before 21 May 2002.

Section 49 (2) used to state that:
"Where the person concerned is to be arrested for an offence referred to in schedule 1 or is to be arrested on the ground that he is reasonably suspected of having committed such an offence, and the person authorised under this Act to arrest or to assist in arresting him cannot arrest him or prevent him from fleeing by other means than by killing him, the killing shall be deemed to be justifiable homicide."


This has now been amended to read:
"If any arrestor attempts to arrest a suspect and the suspect resists the attempt, or flees, or resists the attempt and flees, when it is clear that an attempt to arrest him or her is being made, and the suspect cannot be arrested without the use of force, the arrestor may, in order to effect the arrest, use such force as may be reasonably necessary and proportional in the circumstances to overcome resistance or to prevent the suspect from fleeing: Provided that the arrestor is justified in terms of this section in using deadly force that is intended or is likely to cause death or grievous bodily harm to a suspect, only if he or she believes on reasonable grounds-
(a) that the force is immediately necessary for the purpose of protecting the arrestor, any person lawfully assisting the arrestor or any other person from imminent or future death or grievous bodily harm;
(b) that there is a substantial risk that the suspect will cause imminent or future death or grievous bodily harm if the arrest is delayed; or
(c) that the offence for which the arrest is sought is in progress and is of a forcible and serious nature and involves the use of life threatening violence or a strong likelihood that it will cause grievous bodily harm."

[Pommelhorse]

Rudolph, do you work for the South African Ministery of Toursim? p-)

You've posted a couple of 'heart warming' stories lately that make me glad I moved out of SA 20+ years ago.

[Rudolph]

Rudolph, do you work for the South African Ministery of Toursim? p-)

You've posted a couple of 'heart warming' stories lately that make me glad I moved out of SA 20+ years ago.

I'm just keeping our international forum users on the up-and-up on what's going on with the country that hosts one of the most important sea routes, the Cape route, exports the 2nd most gold, and a host of other minerals:

http://users.iafrica.com/j/jr/jrp/minerals.jpg

Our strategic importance must never be forgotten!!