New police brutality case 'disgusting'
2013-03-15 10:03
Video
2013-03-15 10:20
Another police dragging case has emerged, this time near Mahikeng. Watch.WATCH
Johannesburg - The police ministry has described the latest
incident of alleged police brutality as "embarrassing" and
"disgusting", it was reported on Friday.
Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa's spokesperson Zweli Mnisi
told SABC radio news the underlying causes of such incidents needed to be
investigated.
"This is an embarrassment... it is disgusting,"
said Mnisi.
He said the "issue of command and control" at
police stations needed to be looked at.
"What is the role of those who are supposed to claim
oversight over this member?"
Latest incident
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) said
on Thursday that a North West police officer had been arrested for allegedly
assaulting a man in Setlopo Village in Mafikeng, and dragging him behind a
police vehicle.
The 36-year-old sergeant based at the Lomanyaneng police
station was taken into custody while on duty on Wednesday, IPID spokesperson
Moses Dlamini said.
Dlamini said that on 7 March, two police officers were seen
allegedly harassing a boy near the tuckshop in the area.
"After the police had finished talking to the boy, the
complainant called the boy to advise him about what to do should he feel that
he was treated badly by the police," he said.
The man, a court interpreter at Molopo Magistrate's Court,
said the same police officers called him to the police vehicle on the driver's
side to confront him about what he said to the boy.
"The driver grabbed the complainant by the neck and
asked him if he knew what police were capable of these days. The policeman
allegedly drove off and dragged the complainant for about 100 metres,"
said Dlamini.
The man suffered injuries to his feet and was taken to a
hospital by his neighbour.
The matter was reported to police on Tuesday. It was later
reported to the IPID.
Court appearance
The sergeant would appear in the Mmabatho Magistrate's Court
on Friday facing a charge of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
Earlier this week, nine police officers were denied bail
after being charged with murdering minibus taxi driver Mido Macia, who was also
dragged behind a police vehicle in Daveyton, east of Johannesburg.
Macia was filmed being tied to the back of a police van and
dragged along a street in Daveyton on 26 February. Macia was found dead in the
local police station's holding cells several hours later.
- SAPA
