Publication: Independent Online
Issued:
Date: 2007-07-01
Reporter: Chris Makhaye
| Publication |
Independent Online
|
| Date |
2007-07-01
|
|
Reporter
|
Chris Makhaye |
|
Web Link
|
www.iol.co.za |
Police
are reconstructing dockets burnt during the blaze at Durban's Seaboard Hotel
this week.
Tons of case dockets, computers and furniture on the hotel's
11th floor were destroyed during the fire.
The dockets, dealing with
serious cases involving drugs, fraud and murder, belonged to Point police
station detectives, who leased the floor.
'But the criminals will not
walk away free'
"But the criminals will not walk away free," said
provincial police spokesperson Superintendent Vincent Mdunge.
"The
dockets may have been destroyed, but we have all the information in the system
and we will reconstruct these dockets. They will be used and be admissible in
court," he said.
Rumours that dockets related to the
Jacob Zuma and Shabir Shaik trials were destroyed were denied by
police.
Mdunge said whispers that the blaze at the Durban
beachfront hotel was a result of arson by people being investigated by units
stationed there was pure speculation.
Forensic samples from the scene of
the fire had been sent to Pretoria. The results would be available
soon.
The head of eThekwini's water and fire division, Mark Te Water,
said the city was conducting its own investigation into the massive
fire.
"We are not only looking at arson. The fire could have been caused
by anything. It could be an electric fault, a cigarette or an electric
appliance," he said.
Meanwhile, dozens of Point police station detectives
have been relocated to Durban Central station following the fire at
Seaboard.
"The hotel remains closed until all evidence has been
collected.
"People will only move back in when it is safe enough to do
so," said Mdunge. With acknowledgements to Chris Makhaye
and Independent Online.
Where there's smoke, there's fire.
Where there's
fire, there's freshly incinerated dockets.