Former South African cricketer demands R1.26m from police over alleged roadside assault

02/11/2018. Cricketer Gulam Bodi appears in the Commercial Crimes court in Preto Former cricketer Gulam Bodi.

Image: Oupa Mokoena / African News Agency (ANA) / File

Former Proteas cricketer Gulam Bodi has served the Minister of Police with a letter of demand for R1.26 million over allegations that three police officers stopped him on the N14, searched him and his vehicle, assaulted and intimidated him, and took R10,600 in cash and a power bank.

The demand, dated October 7, 2026, was served on Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia, National Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane and Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni.

Bodi’s attorneys, SN Mnguni Attorneys Inc, have given the police 30 days to comply with their demands, failing which they say they have instructions to institute proceedings in the Gauteng Division of the High Court.

The letter is framed as both a statutory notice in terms of the Institution of Legal Proceedings against Certain Organs of State Act and a demand for damages and the return of Bodi’s property.

Police ministry spokesperson Kamogelo Mogotsi said: “Legal Services will handle the matter and advise the Minister on the merits of the case and how same will be handled.”

Enquiries to police had not been answered by time of publication.

According to the attorneys, the claim arose from an incident on 17 August 2026, between approximately 22:15 and 22:46, when Bodi was driving an Isuzu bakkie along the N14 towards Krugersdorp.

The attorneys allege that a marked SAPS vehicle travelling from Krugersdorp towards Kagiso made a U-turn, followed Bodi and instructed him to stop.

Bodi allegedly complied and remained seated in his vehicle, where he had been charging his cellphone using a power bank.

Three police officials — two men and a woman — allegedly approached him. The letter states that at least one of the male officers was carrying a rifle, which was visible to Bodi throughout the encounter.

The attorneys say none of the officers identified themselves by name, rank or force number.

They describe the circumstances as particularly intimidating, as the encounter took place “late at night, on an isolated stretch of a national road” and in the presence of “at least one visibly armed official”.

According to the letter, Bodi believed the conduct of the officers was threatening and intimidating and that he felt “vulnerable and compelled to submit to their instructions”.

The attorneys state that Bodi “did not, at any stage, give a free and informed consent to any search of his person or of his vehicle”.

One of the male officers allegedly instructed him to alight from the vehicle and open the load bin and boot.

Bodi complied and demonstrated that the vehicle was empty.

The officers allegedly then asked Bodi: “what business do you do”.

While the two male officers searched the vehicle, the female officer allegedly engaged Bodi in conversation.

When nothing was found, the two male officers allegedly searched Bodi’s person, purportedly for a weapon.

The letter describes the search as involving the “deliberate and unconsented touching and handling” of Bodi’s body and the contents of his pockets.

No firearm, weapon, drug or other unlawful article was allegedly found.

The attorneys state that “no arrest was effected. No offence was put to our client.”

They further allege that “no warrant was produced, and no statutory basis for the search was given to our client, whether before, during or after the encounter”.

It was immediately after the search, according to the attorneys, that Bodi counted the cash remaining in his pocket and realised that R10,600 had allegedly been removed.

The letter states that the money was the proceeds of Bodi’s “lawful business activities” and had been lawfully in his possession.

He also discovered that his power bank, valued at R1,000, was missing.

The attorneys say Bodi “did not consent to the removal or appropriation of the valuables, nor were the valuables voluntarily surrendered by him to the police officials”.

The situation allegedly escalated when Bodi confronted the officers about the missing property.

The letter states that he was subjected to “further intimidation and to the application of physical force”.

The attorneys allege that the officers became aggressive towards Bodi and that one of the male officers grabbed him and held his head down against the bakkie.

They further allege that the officers repeatedly grabbed him while a rifle was pointed at him.

The letter states that Bodi asked the officers to provide their names, ranks and force numbers, but that they refused.

It also alleges that no receipt, notice of seizure, CAS reference or other documentation was provided to Bodi showing that the cash or power bank had been lawfully seized or taken into SAPS custody.

According to the attorneys, the property had not been returned by the time the demand was issued.

Following the incident, Bodi went to Kagiso SAPS to lodge a complaint against the officers, according to the letter.

His attorneys say he was directed to Krugersdorp SAPS, only to be referred back to Kagiso SAPS when he arrived there.

He was eventually assisted in making a statement.

The attorneys say the matter was registered as Kagiso CAS 374/9/2026 on 22 September 2026.

The letter describes the registration as occurring more than a month after the alleged roadside incident.

Bodi’s attorneys are demanding an explanation for what they describe as the delay between his attempts to report the matter and the registration of the case.

They also want the identity, rank, contact details and police unit of the investigating officer to whom the case was transferred.

They are demanding confirmation of whether the matter has been referred to IPID.

“If it has not,” the attorneys demand, SAPS must explain why the matter has not been referred to the police watchdog.

They also want details of any disciplinary steps taken against the officers, together with their outcome or current status.

Bodi’s attorneys describe his claim as arising from what they allege were an unlawful search of his person and vehicle, assault, unlawful deprivation of his property or theft, intimidation, impairment of his dignity and privacy, and emotional and psychological harm.

The financial claim comprises R10,600 for the cash allegedly taken, R1,000 for the power bank, R250,000 for medical, psychological and psychiatric assessment and treatment, and R1 million in general damages.

The total claim is therefore R1.261 million.

The attorneys make clear that the amount is provisional and that Bodi reserves the right to amend or increase his claim after obtaining further information and expert reports.

They demand payment of the cash, the return of the power bank or its replacement value, as well as payment of the treatment-related and general damages claims.

They also demand a full written explanation of the legal basis for the search of Bodi’s person and vehicle, as well as the basis on which the cash and power bank were allegedly removed and retained.

The demand warns that, should the 30-day period expire without compliance, Bodi has instructed his attorneys to institute High Court proceedings against the Minister of Police.

The attorneys also reserve the right to seek further court orders, pursue the criminal complaint and seek an IPID referral.

They further reserve Bodi’s right to approach the National Prosecuting Authority if necessary.

The letter says Bodi is not seeking preferential treatment because of his former career as a national sportsman.

Instead, his attorneys say he is seeking what any member of the public should be entitled to: “a prompt, independent and thorough investigation”, accountability if wrongdoing is established, the return of his property and appropriate legal redress.