Criminal assault charges against ten cops for brutal beating of ex-SAPS Capt André Niemann former chief murder & robbery squad: for blowing whistle on top-SAPS' involvement in drugs-trade
Description
Charges of criminal assault lodged against ten cops for brutal beating of whistleblowing' ex-SAPS Capt André Niemann, former head of the murder & robbery squad: Niemann says high-level orders were issued to have him murdered by the so-called 'Big Five Hit Squad' for his blowing the whistle on top-level SAPS-members involved in the drugs-trade. -------------------------------------- Volksblad reports that Capt Andre Niemann, the former head of the Murder & Robbery Squad in Odendaalsrus, was all set to hand over documents to Volksblad newspaper proving the involvement of high-level SAPS-members in the drugs-trade, when he was pulled over, arrested and brutally beaten up. When he appeared before Odendaalsrust magistrate Justice Mamburu the Captain lodged formal charges against the ten police officers who had allegedly beaten him. His facial injuries were severe and could be seen by all when he stood in the dock. Journalist Tom de Wet of Volksblad was at the Odendaalsrust magistrate's court when Capt Niemann was all set to appear for a remand-date, allegedly he was going to be charged with The magistrate indicated on the charge-sheet that Niemann accused the arresting police officers of assaulting him, and that he needed help from a medical doctor to 'follow the necessary procedures'. Niemann's father Karel told Volksblad that 'he's not sure exactly how many cops assaulted him but it could have been as many as ten.' His facial injuries show the brutality of the assault: he has a swollen cheek, a huge swelling to the right-hand-side of his head, deep wounds above his right hip. His right hand - which underwent surgery after a traffic accident, when steel-plates were inserted - is probably broken, said his father. Due to the fact that a government doctor was not available in Odendaalsrust yesterday, Mr Niemann went to Bothaville for the medical examination and brought the necessary forms to fill in. And when he was returning from the doctor a police-car again pulled him over. The cops say he 'tried to run away from being arrested'. His father said this was not accurate: his son was driving to Thabong to drop off his colleague. The award-winning former chief of the SAPS murder & robbery squad also was arrested earlier in the week when he was trying to hand over documents to volksblad. These documents would implicate top-SAPS members in the drug trade. Capt Niemann said he has evidence that 'an order was given from high police circles that he had to be killed by the so-called 'Big Five Hit-Squad'. Now they are trying to get him imprisoned with trumped-up 'drunken-driving' charges, his father said. –
Volksblad
