NPA steps back as SAPS drops shock claims

The KwaZulu-Natal Director of Public Prosecutions says it will only respond to issues raised in Thursday’s South African Police Service (SAPS) briefing after receiving and studying several case dockets from investigators. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said its officials have been working closely with the SAPS and will start a formal review once all documents are submitted.

NPA regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson Kara said the DPP’s office had taken note of the police briefing but could not offer answers at this stage. She said prosecutors would look into the matters involving withdrawn cases, plea entries and matters that were not placed on the roll. She said comment would follow only after a full assessment.

The police briefing was led by Deputy Commissioner for Crime Detection Anthony Gopaul, who said a police employee accessed the criminal record system in January and changed information linked to Stuart Sharnick. Gopaul said investigators discovered the changes through the audit trail and launched a forensic probe. He said the staff member may not have realised the system keeps a record of all deleted entries.

Gopaul said the unauthorised changes were done for the benefit of Sharnick and that further issues were found when investigators reviewed his firearm licences. He said Sharnick owns several firearms and that this prompted checks on how the licences were approved despite earlier convictions and pending cases. He said one licence application was turned down in Richards Bay after the applicant failed to disclose previous matters.

Sharnick has accused police of damaging his name and laid charges against Crime Intelligence head Dumisani Khumalo earlier this week. This followed evidence by Khumalo at the Madlanga Commission, where details about Sharnick’s criminal history were mentioned.

Police said they have found several past cases linked to Sharnick, including matters involving motor vehicle theft. Gopaul said the investigation aims to ensure that records kept in the system are accurate and that the handling of firearm applications is properly monitored.