Teen disappears in police custody
2010-10-04 15:39
Pretoria - A Zimbabwean teenager who disappeared while in police custody nearly three weeks ago was still nowhere to be found on Monday, Tshwane's metro police said.
Confirming that metro police were investigating the matter within its ranks, Director Mel Vosloo said they were co-operating with the SA Police Force in this regard.
"We are following all leads," he said.
Leon Chimuta and four other Zimbabweans were selling cigarettes and other items outside a nightclub when they were taken in by metro police in the city centre.
According to the Pretoria news, Chumita's brother James went to the police station to bail them out but found they were being beaten by police. Police then turned on him too when he tried to intervene.
Tortured for nearly two hours at TMPD offices on Vermuelen Street, the men were then allegedly dropped off one-by-one around Diepsloot in the early hours of the morning.
Chumuta, 17, has not been seen since. Commander of investigations Roger Moodley said the responsible officers on site were being investigated.
Meanwhile, Vosloo disputed reports of extortion, allegedly by a syndicate within his department.
"They've thumbed-sucked that," said Vosloo.
The syndicate reportedly makes thousands of rands a night by simply targeting drunk drivers, those using prostitutes (preferably rich) and hawkers.
Victims would then be threatened with arrest, after which they would agree to pay. They would be driven to ATMs to withdraw money and were released only after payment.
- SAPA
