Bread price champion Imraahn Mukaddam and his son have appeared in court on charges relating to the possession of stolen property after being accused of stealing bread crates, and the assault of a police officer.
Mukaddam and his son, Fazlu Rahmaan Ismail-Mukaddam, who were arrested outside their home on Friday, made their first appearance at the Goodwood Magistrate's Court on Monday.
Mukaddam, formerly of the Elsies River Community Policing Forum and currently a member of the Inspire Elsies Network, and Charmen Gribi, the chief financial officer of Inspire Elsies, were preparing to mobilise for a search party for missing eight-year-old Tazne van Wyk of Ravensmead when they were arrested.
STOLEN CRATES CLAIMS: Imraahn Mukaddam
Gribi filmed the arrest and her being smacked by the Flying Squad cop.
She was later charged with obstruction of justice, but this was later withdrawn.
Mukaddam was kept inside the Flying Squad car for 30 minutes without fresh air and water, until his wife and daughter arrived to give him water.
He and his son were released the same day just after 6pm and warned to be at court on Monday.
On Monday, family and the community came out to support Mukaddam at court.
The matter was postponed to 25 February.
Steve Ross, of the Inspire Elsies Network, says the cases made were malicious: “The short
postponement is to provide proof to the senior prosecutor with the intention that the charges put to Mr Mukaddam and his son are malicious and without merit.
“The Inspire Network appreciates the support in court of community members and organisations, including BLAC of Bishop Lavis and John Cloete of UPSF.”
Mukaddam took to Facebook after his arrest, saying: “All Praise to the Almighty. Missed my Jumu’ah because of the malicious actions of certain companies who use the police in trivial price competition disputes.”
In 2006, Mukaddam, who does bread deliveries, blew the whistle on bread price-fixing and exposed companies, resulting in Tiger Brands being fined R99 million by the Competitions Tribunal.