Wednesday 27 January 2010

Citizen Appeals McBride ruling

A person's criminal conduct remains a factor in determining suitability for becoming a police officer, despite having received amnesty, the Supreme Court of Appeal heard on Monday.

The court was hearing an appeal by The Citizen newspaper in its defamation case with Ekurhuleni metro police chief Robert McBride.

The South Gauteng High Court earlier ordered the newspaper to pay McBride R200 000 for defamation.

The case relates to mainly editorial comment and opinion in a column published in September and October 2003. The articles queried McBride's suitability for the position of metro police chief, referred to his criminal record that stemmed from the apartheid-era bombing of a bar in which 69 people were injured and three were killed. They also mentioned his having been detained for gun dealing in Mozambique, and that he had no experience or academic training as a traffic officer. 'snip'

Full report her

In how many other civilised nations would a convicted killer be apointed Chief of police, and a newspaper successfully sued for quiestioning that appointment?

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