Johannesburg – The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has arrested 16 law enforcement officers for the death of a civilian due to police action back in 2020.
The group of 16 law enforcement officers – which includes 3 security officials – were all arrested for an incident that took place back in 2020 during the height of Covid-19 lockdown regulations.
In details shared by Ipid, the deceased and three other civilians were allegedly arrested for violating the Covid-19 Disaster Management Act and assaulted by the Soweto visible policing officers and VSS security guards, according to the details mentioned in case folder Lenasia CAS 08/04/2020.
The civilians who were arrested were taken to the Lenasia police station and during the hourly visits to the cells, the deceased who was still alive at the time and complained of stomach pains.
An ambulance was then called in, the paramedics declared the one civilian dead on 1 April 2020 at about 22:38. A murder case was opened as per Lenasia CAS 08/04/2020.
The 16 law enforcement officers were arrested in groups of two with only eight officers arrested on July 12 and the rest arrested on July 14.
The 16 law enforcement officers appeared at the Protea Magistrate’s Court on July 13 and 15 respectively, and were released on bail.
Bail for the officers was set at R2 000, while the security officials were released on R1 000 bail.
Ipid spokesperson Lizzy Suping said: “Their bail conditions are as follows; the officers must not in any way contact or communicate with the victims or other witnesses.”
IOL