Police
must pay Bay man R110,000
21
December 2012
The Port
Elizabeth High Court has ordered the minister of police to pay R110,000 in
damages to a man for invasion of privacy and assault, according to a report on
Friday (21/12/2012).
The
judgment related to a case involving Thobela Julius Funde, whose home at
Kwadwesi in Port Elizabeth was raided, and he was assaulted by two police
officers five years ago, The Star reported.
The
officers claimed they went to Funde’s home at midnight to search for dagga after
receiving a tip-off.
During
the raid, his wife and child were sent to another room in the house, and Funde
was handcuffed and made to lie down on the floor.
One of
the officers produced a plastic glove and put it over Funde’s head, with the
result that he could not breathe. He lost consciousness and the glove was taken
off and he was revived with water.
The
process was repeated and continued for between 30 minutes to an hour.
He was
also pressed down, causing the handcuffs to hurt his wrists.
He spent
a long weekend in jail then opened an assault case.
The court
found Funde’s version more reliable and that the officers’ action was a serious
invasion of privacy, and the assault severe.
The
judgment must be sent to the minister of police and to the police’s national
commissioner. - Sapa
