Macia 'suffered extensive injuries'
2013-03-08 14:15
Video
2013-03-08 12:11
Watch as protesters gather outside Benoni Magistrate's Court during a bail hearing for policemen appearing for the murder of a Daveyton taxi driver. WATCH
Johannesburg - Nine policemen appeared in court on Friday
accused of dragging a Mozambican immigrant behind their police van and then
brutally beating him to death.
They are charged with killing Mido Macia, a 27-year-old minibus
taxi driver who died in police custody on 26 February, after apparently parking
his taxi on the wrong side of the road.
Bystanders filmed Macia being manhandled, handcuffed to the
back of a police van and dragged hundreds of metres to the Daveyton police station.
Just over two hours later he was found dead in his cell.
Footage of the incident spread quickly online and sent shockwaves
throughout the country, shining a spotlight yet again on the conduct of the police
force.
Abrasions, cuts, bruises
The court was told on Friday that Macia suffered extensive
injuries, culminating in hypoxia - a lack of oxygen supply to the body -
causing his death.
According to a report by pathologist Reggie Perumal, Macia
had extensive abrasions on his face, limbs and body, deep cuts on his forearms
and wrists and "almost full thickness lacerations of the head."
He also had bruised ribs, back, left and right testes, lips
and bite marks on his tongue as well as bleeding and water on the brain.
The nine huddled together on the accused's bench, some
dressed in suits, others in casual clothes.
Aged between 25 and 57, some chewed gum, looked down while
others occasionally shot a furtive smile.
The State has opposed bail.
Eight officers were arrested in connection with the
incident, while a constable who was on duty that day has since turned himself
in.
