JOHANNESBURG - Crime expert Mike Bolhuis warns against making public claims on social platforms, particularly on cases involving kidnapping and missing children.
He says such could seriously undermine criminal investigations.
Bolhuis adds that comments can also put public safety at risk and the integrity of justice processes,
His remarks follow after claims by Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie that he has new information regarding Joshlin’s disappearance.
McKenzie made the claims during a live broadcast on the party’s Facebook page last week but did not disclose further details.
READ | McKenzie claims to have 'new information' on Joshlin Smith
But Western Cape police say they have not yet been formally notified of any new developments in the case of the missing seven-year-old and that the investigation remains ongoing.
Bolhuis says statements by political figures can influence cases, including witnesses and suspects, even when no specific investigative details are disclosed.
“This risk is well-recognised in criminal justice systems, including South Africa, because influence does not depend only on facts being revealed, but also flows from authority, timing, and perception.
“These risks arise from how information circulates, how law enforcement operates, and how other actors, both supportive and malicious, respond,” Bolhuis explains.
According to Bolhuis, police have a role to play in balancing the public’s right to information with the need to protect criminal investigations.
Best practice in balancing information:
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