NATIONAL Coloured Congress leader Fadiel Adams is being held at a secret police station in Durban after a gruelling 31-hour road trip from Cape Town, with police citing security concerns for keeping his whereabouts hidden.
The NCC MP arrived in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday night, 6 May, following his arrest in Cape Town, but was not taken to Westville Police Station as initially announced.
Instead, Adams is being held at a local police station whose location police refuse to reveal, ahead of his court appearance at Pinetown Magistrates Court on Thursday, 7 May, on charges of fraud and defeating the ends of justice.
Security trumps transparency
SAPS national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed that the change of plans was driven by security concerns after Adams's expected arrival at Westville was made public.
"To protect him and to also protect the integrity of this entire process, we have taken a decision not to divulge his whereabouts for security reasons," Mathe said, adding that Adams's lawyers had been told of the location change.
According to Mathe, Adams has been properly processed at the undisclosed facility, with an Occurrence Book entry made and an inspection done by the receiving officer.
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"There are no complaints on his side as well as he's free from any injuries," she confirmed. Warning statements and fingerprints have also been taken.
Constitutional rights observed
Addressing concerns raised on social media about the lengthy road journey during winter, Mathe insisted that Adams had been well cared for throughout the trip. The transport team made regular stops and stayed overnight in a nearby town, where Adams was booked into a local police station and given an eight-hour rest.
"He was fed and he received breakfast, lunch, supper and so on. So he has been well taken care of," Mathe said, emphasising that police are mindful of constitutional rights. "Everyone is presumed innocent before they are proven guilty by a court of law."
Standard protocol
Mathe defended the secrecy around Adams's transport, saying it's standard operational and security protocol. "We do not give out those details on any suspect that we are transporting. It doesn't only pertain to Mr Fadiel Adams," she explained.
The decision to use road transport rather than air was based on risk profiling and cost-effectiveness, according to the spokeswoman.
Adams was formally charged upon arrival in Durban, where the alleged crimes took place. He will appear before magistrates today to answer to the fraud and obstruction of justice charges.
