Jail crooks, not crime fighters

The farcical state of our justice system has again been highlighted by the recent sentencing of Abdus-Salaam Ebrahim, former co-ordinator of the People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (Pagad), to four years imprisonment for an attack on the home of drug dealer Mogamat Madatt.

This came after he had served an eight-year sentence for public violence.

Three of his co-accused, although also found guilty, were sentenced to two years’ house arrest. The magistrate, Johnny Vermeulen, said that sentencing Abdus-Salaam “to house arrest would have sent the wrong message to the community” and, furthermore, that as a person who was “highly intelligent and with strong leadership qualities” he still had an important role to play in the fight against crime.

The judge evidently thinks this fight is better fought from behind bars.

In spite of the contradictory sentiments expressed by Vermeulen, what is particularly galling is the fact that the only message the community is being sent is that those of us frustrated by the police’s limp-wristed approach to fighting crime will not get any support from our justice system.

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Jail crooks, not crime fighters
Cape Argus SA