Len Cloete's Wife Describes What Happened at Muldersdrift Hotel When Husband Was Shot in the Head by Cop
- Len Cloete was shot by a police officer in his hotel room in Muldersdrift after an altercation with hotel staff
- Chantal Cloete, Len's wife, spoke to Jacaranda FM about the incident, which has left her husband in a coma
- The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union believes that the officer was justified in his actions due to the risk he and his partner were facing
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JOHANNESBURG - Chantal Cloete, whose husband, Len Cloete, was shot by police during an altercation in a Muldersdrift hotel, has spoken to Pretoria-based radio station Jacaranda FM about the incident. Len Cloete remains in a coma as a result of the shooting.
The incident took place at the Misty Hills Hotel, where Len and Chantal Cloete were staying with friends. Len Cloete had an argument with hotel staff, who called the police. He was asked to leave the premises but instead fetched his gun.
He disarmed a female police officer of her firearm and challenged a police officer to shoot him. The policeman shot Len Cloete in the front of the head and he's now in a coma. The incident was filmed by one of Cloete's friends who were in the hotel room at the time.
Source: Facebook
Chantal's side of the story
In the interview with Jacaranda FM, Chantal Cloete was given the opportunity to share her version of events. Martin Bester, who interviewed her, asked her twice in the interview to explain why the police were called and what happened prior to what is seen in the viral video.
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However, Chantal dodged the question a couple of times and said she was already asleep when the police arrived on the scene, adding that the commotion woke her up. She went on to say that the police tried to yank her out of bed, which angered her husband, who according to her always prioritised her feeling safe when she went to bed at night.
She added that he was not usually an aggressive person and that he is a family man who has seven children. According to Chantal, Len told the police to arrest him multiple times during the altercation so that the situation could be diffused, but the police continued to fight.
When asked why Len was naked at the beginning of the now-viral video Chantal said that he was busy changing into pyjamas when the police arrived, which prompted his friend to begin recording so that they could have proof of the police trying to remove them.
Were the police right to shoot?
The police officer who shot Cloete has received support from Popcru, the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union, News24 reports. Richard Mamabolo, a spokesperson for Popcru, said that the police officer knew his team's lives were in danger and acted in self-defence.
"We urge community members to co-operate with law enforcement officers as and when they carry out their duties and strive to build common working relations that ensure we collectively address the challenges around violent crimes that have marred our communities," Mamabolo said.
Mamabolo called the incident regrettable. An investigation has been launched by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate.
Reactions to Muldersdrift case
Nicole Ann Wells Papagni said:
"I want to know why the police were called!!!!!!!"
Ariska Schoombee believes:
"South Africa police have not been trained to deal with any difficult situations!!! That's the point."
Leonardus van Vreden shared:
"She was there and instead of restraining or calming him down, she was verbally assaulting the police. She is also as guilty as he is!"
Susan Penney Smith said:
"His best friend taking a video while he's performing like that? I think the best friend should have helped to calm the situation instead of getting his phone out, but that's just my opinion."
Wife of Len Cloete, who was shot in the head by police, hires a private investigator
Previously, Briefly News reported that Chantal Cloete, the wife of Len Cloete, who was shot point-blank by a police officer during an altercation in a Muldersdrift lodge, says she has commissioned a private investigating firm to look into what transpired before he was shot.
The altercation between Len and the police took place on Saturday and video footage of the incident has been widely shared on social media. Len is currently in hospital and is reportedly in a coma.
The manager of the lodge says the police were called in after Len refused to leave the premises after being disruptive. He was also offered a refund to leave, which he refused.
Source: Briefly News
