Cops probed for taxi driver's death
2013-02-27 21:40
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Police
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Johannesburg - The death of a taxi driver at Daveyton
police station on the East Rand was being probed, the Independent Police
Investigative Directorate (IPID) said on Wednesday.
"We are still interviewing the witnesses because the
allegations are that he was dragged with the police vehicle," spokesperson
Moses Dlamini said.
The 27-year-old man, a Mozambican national, was found
dead in police cells by a police officer on Tuesday night.
Dlamini said earlier on that day the man's taxi was
allegedly obstructing traffic in Empilweni Street in Daveyton.
Two policemen, a warrant officer and a constable, saw the
vehicle and switched on their siren, trying to tell him to move the vehicle.
"It is also alleged that the taxi driver then
assaulted the constable and took his police firearm.
"The warrant officer overpowered the taxi driver and
handed the firearm back to his colleague," he said.
The warrant officer then drove to Daveyton police station
in a taxi to call for backup.
"When back-up arrived the constable was still at the
scene, struggling to put the suspect in the police van."
He said officers managed to put the "resisting
suspect" into the police van and took him to the police cells.
He was found dead by another police officer later in the
day.
An inquest docket was opened, and the police also opened
a case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm against the man.
Dlamini said a post mortem was received on Wednesday and
it indicated that the cause of death was head injuries with internal bleeding.
"They [policemen] are only saying they locked him
[up] and he was found by another police officer, but we are
investigating."
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- SAPA