Court halts newspaper report on crime intelligence
The Sunday Independent was late on Friday night interdicted by the High Court in Pretoria from publishing information on appointments in the crime intelligence division of the South African Police Service (SAPS), the National Press Club said.
“The minister of police, national commissioner and divisional commissioner of crime intelligence brought an urgent application before the court on Friday evening to stop the Sunday Independent from publishing any information about appointments and to return documents in possession of the newspaper,” the National Press Club said in a statement.
“It is believed that the newspaper wanted to expose alleged nepotism within crime intelligence. Last week, the paper published a series of allegations.”
Stuck in traffic
According to the National Press Club, the lawyers for Independent Newspapers were stuck in traffic and were late for the hearing at 8pm on Friday.
“Shortly before 9pm, Judge Ephriam Makgoba decided to continue with the hearing, in the absence of the respondent’s legal team.
“Within minutes, the judge made a ruling in favour of the applicants,” the statement read.
Judge Makgoba ordered Independent Newspapers to refrain from “publishing or causing to published any information pertaining to the advertisement and appointment of any individual within the division: crime intelligence”.
Independent Newspapers was also ordered to immediately hand over any information or documentation about appointments to the SAPS.
The newspaper was ordered to pay the costs of two counsels.
Chairperson of the National Press Club, Yusuf Abramjee, said: “We are shocked.
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“This is a travesty of justice. There may be a technical point here because the respondent’s legal counsel was not on time. But, that’s not good enough. The case should have been argued on its merits.
“We have been told that the matter will be taken on appeal by the Sunday Independent to higher courts.” - Sapa
