The Goodwood police station commissioner suspended without pay since
Christmas following the arrest on a drunk driving charge of ANC leader Tony
Yengeni, has been found guilty of six charges in an
internal disciplinary hearing.
Siphiwo Hewana was suspended on December 6, following allegations by provincial
Police Commissioner Mzwandile Petros that he had misrepresented the time of
Yengeni's arrest to cover up for him.
Yet it was Hewana, who said on e.TV's prime-time news before he was suspended,
that the politician had been arrested at the scene of the accident because his
officers had smelled alcohol on Yengeni's breath.
But Petros alleged Hewana had asked two junior policemen to change the time of
Yengeni's arrest from 12.20am on November 26, 2007 to
three hours earlier to comply with Yengeni's correctional supervision conditions.
The hearing was held at Customs House on the Foreshore and was chaired by police
director Greg Goss from the Eastern Cape.
Petros's spokesperson, Novela Potelwa, said the sanction against Hewana would
only be known on Wednesday.
Potelwa said Hewana faces criminal charges of contravening
the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act and the Intimidation Act.
Benzi Soko, spokesperson for the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union, said
news of the verdict against Hewana was disturbing.
"We are of the view that this matter was decided a long time ago."
He added that a planned appeal process would "expose the
mischievous ways" of the SAPS in its dealings with Hewana.
* This article was originally published on page 1 of The Cape Times on March
12, 2008
With acknowledgement to Quinton Mtyala and Cape Times.