Man cries as he tells of rape

2008-06-05 09:09

Liela Magnus

Pretoria - A man, 52, cried in the Pretoria High Court while he told how inmates in a police cell raped him.

The man, a diabetic from Primrose, Germiston, is suing the Minister of Safety and Security and the Minister of Justice for R4.3m in damages.

He claims he was twice unlawfully arrested and that after the second arrest, he was raped in police cells.

He testified how he was arrested on February 28 at the magistrate's court in Witbank when he wanted to fetch a copy of his charge sheet.

Singing and dancing

According to him, he was kept in a cell along with 30 fellow prisoners in the holding cells at the Witbank police station.

He told how he was carried, naked, around the cell by four men while the rest sang and danced. The court had to be adjourned before the emotional man could continue testifying. "The singing and foot stamping became louder," he said.

He described how of the prisoners took one of the green mattresses in the cell, rolling it up lengthwise and put it in front of him. He was told to kneel down over the rolled up mattress.

"The intensity of the singing and dancing reached a climax".

The men started raping him. "I must have lost consciousness then. When I came to, they were still busy".

They later stopped and ignored him for the rest of the two days that he was kept locked up with them in the same cell.

He was taken to court where bail was set for R1 000.

But he could only call someone to bring him the money a day after his court appearance.

He also had to be taken to hospital as he had not been able to get his diabetic medicine while being in custody. The man said he asked the doctor to admit him because he was scared of going back to the cell. He did not tell the doctor or the police members what had happened to him.

A friend paid his bail, the case against him was dropped and the money paid back.

The case continues.

- Beeld