The City of Cape Town has suspended its Safety and Security Investigation Unit head, Reynold Talmakkies, following a High Court judgement which found he had breached security protocols at Mitchells Plain Regional Court, where his son is on trial for murder.
A source revealed that Talmakkies was called in on Wednesday morning whenofficials were made aware of the judgement.
City spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo confirmed the suspension and says: “The City can confirm that Mr Talmakkies has been suspended. Due process will now be followed, in line with the City’s policies and procedures, and it would be premature to speculate on the outcome of these processes.”
The shocking judgement handed down this week revealed that a magistrate had recused herself from the murder case after she was approached by Talmakkies and told that he was “heading a certain section of the police department” and that he was the father of the accused.
Talmakkies’ son, David, along with Garth Lamb were arrested for the murder of Cape Town rapper, Chad du Plessis, who was stabbed in Strandfontein on December 5, 2020.
The murder trial was being heard at Mitchells Plain Regional Court, but was brought to a halt in September last year when the magistrate revealed that Talmakkies had approached her in the court’s parking garage.
She says she cut the conversation short when Talmakkies told her his son was on trial. But she later recused herself as she feared the public might suspect he tried to influence her.
Du Plessis’ family revealed that they saw Talmakkies speaking to the magistrate.
The High Court judges ruled that the magistrate should not have recused herself, and instructed the court’s management to take corrective measures to address the breach.