Metro cop allegedly assaults Monkey Helpline co-founder in homePicture: Supplied
DURBAN - A DURBAN animal rights activist is reeling from shock after a metro policeman allegedly walked into her home unannounced and intimidated and assaulted her at the weekend.
Co-founder of Monkey Helpline, Carol Booth, said she was preparing to lay criminal charges against the officer, whose name is known to The Mercury.
He walked into her Westville home apparently without a search warrant and allegedly intimidated, pushed and “push punched” her in the face on Saturday afternoon.
Booth and co-founder Steve Smit run the Monkey Helpline Primate Rehabilitation and Sanctuary Centre at the Mayibuye Community Game Reserve in Camperdown.
Booth said she was in the kitchen preparing lunch after bottle feeding 25 orphaned baby monkeys, which she has a permit to keep temporarily in her home, when one of her employees informed her that “someone is here”.
She said she noticed a man and a woman in uniform had opened a sliding door and walked into the house unannounced.
“I said tell me what you are here for because you are terrifying my animals. I said let’s speak outside and he pushed me back,” she said.
Booth said that according to Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife guidelines the monkeys should not become accustomed to humans and she is the only person who directly feeds and cares for them. She said once weaned the orphans moved to Camperdown before being released back into the wild. She said the female officer immediately nodded and stepped outside.
“He didn’t introduce himself and he never said why he was there. He said ‘I don’t need a warrant, I can see the monkeys that’s what I am here for’. He had his hand on his gun the whole time. I was terrified and I had no idea what he was here for,” Booth said.
Booth said the officer had his cellphone in one hand and was taking photographs and she put her hand up above his phone. She said he made a fist with his other hand and assaulted her in the face, albeit not with full force, pushing her back.
“It was more a pushing punch. We were standing body to body and he said, ’oh be quiet white woman, go away’,” she said.
“I don’t have any bruising on my cheek but the punch push with his fist did leave my face numb and painful. He was aggressive and intimidating. He kept telling me he was going to arrest me and kept putting his hand on his gun in a threatening way. It was like a home invasion. Attacked in the sanctity of my home by the people who are meant to protect and serve us,” Booth said.
“The monkeys here are under veterinary care and treatment and pose no threat to anyone. There is no health hazard and these monkeys are not dangerous. We provide a service to the community and because of a few monkey haters we’ve have had ongoing harassment and are being maligned.”
Booth said she had reported the incident at the Westville police station where an incident occurrence had been recorded. She said she planned to write a statement under the guidance of her attorney today (Monday) and press charges of gender based violence, assault, trespassing and intimidation.
SAPS spokesperson Thembeka Mbele said yesterday that she could only confirm the incident once a case had been opened.
Metro Police Spokesperson Parboo Sewpersad said he was aware of a Facebook post about the alleged incident.
“She needs to open a charge at the SAPS and lay a complaint with Metro Police and we will investigate it internally. We have an internal investigation unit that investigates allegations of misconduct,” he said.
The Mercury