To protect herself, and stop a crime from taking place, she brandished her legal firearm. The thugs backed off and left the victim alone. Her son, Jason, was close by and saw the episode take place. She drove home and to her surprise found policemen at her home awaiting her arrival. Well, one would have been very impressed if they were there to get a statement from her regarding her intimidation by the thugs, and immediately act on it by arresting them for their misdemeanour.
No, they were there to arrest the victim, because the thugs had complained to the police about her pointing a firearm at them.
Is that not why a single woman carries a firearm? To use it to defend herself against street thugs? The said arresting officer, a Constable Arendse, who was apparently not dressed properly, did not identify herself appropriately and did not give the victim any information regarding her rights, was, according to Jason, very aggressive and would not listen to him, trying to explain that the incident was one of self-defence.
Mrs Peake ended up spending the day in Kraaifontein holding cells. She was released at 5pm, defenceless; her firearm was confiscated by the Kraaifontein police. Mrs Peake had to appear in court where the police stopped the case from proceeding. They arrived at court without the statement from the complainants. I wonder if there was a statement – or maybe just an irresponsible policewoman who finds it easier to arrest a single grandmother, rather than a group of aggressive thugs?
What kind of training are our police receiving…or not receiving? Don’t they have any discretion?
