Man dies in Belville cells
2005-10-09 22:52
Johannesburg - A man has died in the Belville-south police cells in Cape Town after being arrested for allegedly attacking a policeman with a pair of scissors, police said on Sunday.
Assistant commissioner Raymond Strydom said the man was arrested on Saturday afternoon after he was spotted in Industry road carrying an iron pipe.
"Police ordered him to stop walking, but he ran at them, dropped the iron pipe, and stabbed one of the officers in his bullet proof vest with a pair of scissors."
The policemen used pepper spray to subdue the suspect, Strydom said.
"They confiscated the scissors and arrested and charged the Belville man, 39, with attempted murder."
He was put in the cells at about 19:30 on Saturday and 20 minutes later, police found him dead, sitting upright against the cell wall.
"The independent complaints directorate (ICD) was informed of the death and visited the scene," Strydom said.
"They opened an inquest docket."
Strydom said a post mortem would be done to establish the cause of death.
- SAPA