Lawyer arrested for allegedly damaging car

A well-known Atlantic seaboard attorney was arrested on Thursday February 20 for charges relating to malicious damage of property.

Sea Point police confirmed the arrest of Garry Trappler who appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Friday February 21.

According to his neighbour, Thandi Mgwaba, Mr Trappler damaged her family car. However, Mr Trappler vehemently denied the allegations. He said charges were laid against him and were withdrawn by the senior prosecutor.

“The arrest was unlawful and I’ll be considering issuing summons against SAPS for unlawful arrest,” he said.

Ms Mgwaba said on Thursday, she noticed something was wrong with her alarm connection and decided to keep a close eye on her car as they park on the roadside.

She said she saw her neighbour, Mr Trappler, walking towards her car.

“When he got there, he touched the bonnet and bent down. I saw him moving two or three steps forward and bent again,” she said.

Ms Mgwaba said she thought something was wrong with her car and went outside to ask her neighbour.

“I asked him what was he doing in my car? Was there something wrong that he perhaps noticed and he responded with ‘nothing’,” she said.

She said she went to her car to check what he was doing when she got there her tyres were punctured.

“I ran up to him to confront him and asked why he did that to my car and by then he was walking towards his door and said nothing. He walked inside and before closing doors he pointed two middle fingers with both hands towards me,” she said.

She said her daughter called the police who responded swiftly and they knocked at Ms Trappler’s home to which his wife responded that he was sleeping.

Ms Mgwaba said the matter continues as she was advised to get lawyers.

She said the body corporate helped her with a footage which showed Mr Trappler going to her car more than once before the actual incident.

She said some community members including the Green Point neighbourhood watch showed support and assisted her with taking kids to school,” she said.