South Africa

January 2005

  
Home affairs official held for airport abduction, (Sunday Times, 2005-01-12):-A Department of Home Affairs employee based at Johannesburg International Airport handed herself over to police on Tuesday for allegedly kidnapping and robbing a Nigerian man last month. This comes shortly after two officials from the Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) and a police inspector based at the airport were arrested for the same incident. Spokesman for the office of the national police commissioner, Inspector Dennis Adriao, said the woman, in her thirties, handed herself over to police in the presence of her lawyer. She was expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate's Court on Wednesday. Adriao said a manager of security at the Airports Company South Africa was arrested on Monday. Douglas Ndlovu appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate's Court shortly after his arrest and remained in custody. Security supervisor Kowie Jacobs and police Inspector Levy Madisha were arrested last week for allegedly dumped the man in Hillbrow and stealing his briefcase which the man claims contained a large sum of US dollars. The two men appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate's Court on Monday. Both were granted bail of R10 000 each. Conditions attached to bail were that the two hand over their passports, that they don't leave Gauteng and that they report to a specific police station every day. The inspector was also charged with illegally assisting a Brazilian national to enter the country. Earlier on Tuesday, police arrested three police officers at the airport as a result of improved security measures. Two constables, one of whom is female, and a sergeant were arrested on Thursday for trying to assist two Indian nationals to get through the terminal illegally. The officers face charges of aiding and abetting illegal immigrants and defeating the ends of justice. "If they are found guilty they are looking at rather harsh jail sentences," said Adriao. Adriao admitted that while this may seem embarrassing to the police, they are very serious about setting an example to people involved in corruption and crime. "We are taking a strong stand on this," he said. Over the last months airport security has been improved by extra patrols in and around the airport and by making use of technology. Police are keeping their new methods under wraps to avoid alerting criminals. "The airport is not the place for criminals to try their luck, and that include people who might work there," said Adriao. He said the new measures had proved very successful. Other successes include the arrest of two security guards and a staff member, both from private companies contracted to the airport, for stealing a bag containing R1 million worth of traveller's cheques. The two security guards were arrested within an hour of the theft and the other a few days later. All the traveller's cheques have been recovered. On Friday police arrested a 40-year-old man for trying to smuggle cocaine with a street value of R1 million - 1.2kg was in his luggage and he swallowed about 20 "bullets" - condoms filled with cocaine. Police held at airport (Pretoria News, 12/01):- Another three police officers have been arrested at Johannesburg International Airport as a result of improved security measures, police said yesterday. Two constables, one of whom is female, and a sergeant were arrested on Thursday for trying to assist two Indian nationals to get through the terminal illegally. The officers face charges of aiding and abetting illegal immigrants and defeating the ends of justice. "If they are found guilty they are looking at rather harsh jail sentences," said Inspector Dennis Adriao, spokesman for the office of the national commissioner. Adriao admitted that while this may seem embarrassing to the police, they are very serious about setting an example to people who are involved in corruption and crime. "We are taking a strong stand." Over the last couple of months airport security has been improved by extra patrols in and around the airport and use of technology. Police are keeping their new methods under wraps to avoid alerting criminals. "The airport is not the place for criminals to try their luck, and that includes people who might work there," said Adriao. He said the new measures had proved very successful. In another case, an Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) official was arrested on Monday in connection with the kidnapping and robbery of a Nigerian national on Friday. A police inspector and another Acsa official were arrested earlier. The Nigerian alleged that the policeman and the Acsa officer assisted him through the airport. They then took him to Hillbrow where they dropped him off and drove off with one of his luggage bags, containing "a few thousand US dollars". The inspector is also charged with illegally assisting a Brazilian national to enter the country. "The police are working very closely with Acsa and other stakeholders. We share information and our intelligence has improved tremendously. Arrests are made within hours of every incident or theft," said Adriao." Other successes include the arrests of two security guards and a staff member, both from private companies contracted to the airport, for stealing a bag containing Ri-million worth of traveller's cheques. The guards were arrested within an hour of the theft and the staffer a few days later. All travellers cheques have been recovered. On Friday police arrested a man (40) for trying to smuggle cocaine with a street value of Ri-million. There was 1,2kg in his luggage and he swallowed about 20 "bullets" - condoms filled with cocaine.  
South African Migration Project (SAMP) - Queen's University - http://www.queensu.ca/samp