Woman wins case over Shoprite

A woman has won a lawsuit against Shoprite and the police for damages suffered as a result of her unlawful detention following an alleged shoplifting incident at the Shoprite store in Parow in 2015.

Joy Ewere Emordi along with her 16-month-old daughter, were detained at Shoprite for several hours after she was falsely accused of stealing from the store. She was also kept at the police station overnight without reasoning nor listening to her pleas. The charges of theft were later withdrawn against her at the Bellville Magistrate’s Court.

Emordi had also sued the minister of police, and two security companies – FBS Security and Civa Security. In her testimony she said she child went to a nearby shop, Parow Mark Fruit and Veg, to purchase some groceries.

After she paid for her groceries she was given a receipt, but left it on the cashier’s till desk, seeing no need to keep it.

She then went to Shoprite where she bought and paid for more groceries. Again she paid for her groceries and again left the receipt behind.

However, before she reached the exit of Shoprite, she was intercepted by a man wearing civilian clothes who took her to an office where she was asked to produce the receipts for the items in the bags.

Her interrogators refused to believe her story or to let her go back to the first shop to fetch the receipt.

Judge Lee Bozalek found that there had been no need to arrest Emordi and hold her overnight just to ensure she appeared in court, and that it would have sufficed to get her name and address.

The judge found Shoprite liable for any damages which Emordi may prove arising out of her unlawful arrest and detention at Shoprite, Parow.