SAPS explains viral ‘throat-slicing’ gesture at Sibiya bail hearing
SAPS has explained a viral video showing an officer in a blue suit making what appeared to be a throat-slicing gesture during suspended deputy national police commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya’s court appearance, saying the gesture was operational in nature.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has explained a viral video from a bail hearing of suspended deputy national police commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya. A man in the public gallery was seen making a gesture that appeared to be throat-slitting, causing widespread concern on social media. The video emerged during Sibiya's court appearance for five charges, including rape, sexual grooming, and human trafficking.
SAPS confirmed the man was a member of the Combat Team of the Commission’s Recommendations Task Team (CRTT), and was not intending to make a threat. The gesture was used to communicate to investigators that protective officers should be ready for immediate court adjournment. SAPS emphasized the importance of proper non-verbal communication in sensitive environments like courts, reminding officers to use caution to prevent misinterpretation.
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