A police officer accused of unlawfully causing the withdrawal of a drug-related case hopes to negotiate a plea-bargain agreement with prosecuting authorities.

Constable Ashley Clint Munnik of Athlone in Cape Town appeared in the Specialised Commercial Crime Court this week, before Magistrate Sabrina Sonnenberg.

At the request of prosecutor Simon Leope the case was postponed to April 21 when the plea bargain agreement is expected to be finalised.

According to the charge sheet Munnik was based at the Bonteheuwel police station on the Cape Flats, and was the investigating officer in a case involving suspect Renwyn Uys, who was arrested and charged with the alleged possession of 17 packets of tik (crystal meth).

Munnik had to take the 17 packets of tik to the forensic science laboratory in Plattekloof in Cape Town’s northern suburbs for analysis, but allegedly took only five and kept the remaining 12 for himself.

It is alleged that he changed the serial number of the forensic bag containing the 17 packets of tik, and also that his failure to hand in the bag caused the withdrawal of the charge against Uys.

He now faces charges of defeating the ends of justice and fraud.

[Source: African News Agency]