MP demands answers in Parliament on prolonged Chatsworth police torture case

IN THE National Assembly last week, MK Party MP Visvin Reddy questioned why the trial of 14 Chatsworth police officers charged with the torture and murder of Regan Naidoo had been delayed for seven years.

- YOSHINI PERUMAL

Reddy raised the matter after appeals from the victim's frustrated family, with Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia citing multiple postponements due to legal complications, defence strategies, and procedural issues.

Frustrated at the ongoing delays, Naidoo’s family appealed to Reddy to enquire about the delays at the National Assembly.

Reddy questioned Cachalia about the delays, the reasons for the postponements of the case, and the steps taken by police to ensure that justice was served for the Naidoo family.

He also questioned the measures implemented by the police to hold the implicated officers accountable and prevent similar cases from stalling.

In his response, Cachalia said the matter was first placed before court on September 22, 2021, and was pending feedback from the National Director of Public Prosecutions, due to a complaint made by some of the defence attorneys.

He said the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) had maintained regular communication with Naidoo’s father, Timothy Naidoo, and they were in engagements with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and SAPS to ensure the matter was not unnecessarily delayed.

“After the matter was first brought before court, there were more than 19 adjournments due to various reasons. After the arrest of the 21 police officers during 2021, there was a further arrest of a senior police officer during 2023, which brought the total arrested to 22.

“Subsequently, the deputy director of public prosecutions for the KZN division had several meetings with the chief public prosecutor, senior public prosecutor, and the public prosecutor, and appointed an advocate in late 2023, early 2024. This was to oversee the case from the KZN DPP’s side,” Cachalia stated in his response.