R1.5 million awarded to Limpopo man wrongfully imprisoned for 16 months.
The Polokwane High Court in Limpopo has ordered the Minister of Police to pay R1.5 million in damages to a man who was unlawfully arrested and detained for 492 days after finding that the investigating officer relied solely on a previous rape conviction instead of conducting a proper investigation.
A full bench of the High Court upheld an appeal by TC, overturning an earlier High Court ruling that had dismissed his claim for unlawful arrest and detention.
The appeal stemmed from TC's arrest in September 2020 in connection with allegations that he had raped and robbed a schoolgirl near Moletji in August 2020.
According to the victim, she was walking to school early one morning when she encountered a man who demanded her cellphone at knifepoint before forcing her behind a mountain, where he allegedly raped her. She reported the incident to school staff, who contacted the police.
