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‘Victim’
sues police minister
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He alleged he was intimidated into signing a statement that had been
drafted by a policeman and was forced to witness another man being beaten.
YOUNG Limpopo man who alleges a policeman had hit him on the ear so hard that his eardrum burst is suing the minister of police for R1.7 million damages. The claim by 22-year-old Marthinus Vorster of Phalaborwa was postponed indefinitely in the North Gauteng High Court but the minister was ordered to pay the wasted costs. Vorster alleged in court papers he had been arrested without a warrant in April 2010 and taken to the offices of the Hawks in Polokwane where he was assaulted, sworn at and insulted. He claimed he was refused legal representation and forced to answer questions under duress. According to Vorster he was beaten and assaulted during the interrogation and forced to admit guilt on various allegations. He alleged he was intimidated into signing a statement drafted by a police officer and was forced to witness another man being beaten. He was allegedly assaulted again before his constitutional rights were finally read to him for the first time about 12 hours later. Vorster only met his legal representatives the next day at the offices of the Hawks in Polokwane, but claimed his lawyers were forced to leave the room before they could consult. He was thereafter transported to Hoedspruit where he was locked up with various other inmates, who were allegedly encouraged by the police to assault him. Vorster claimed he and other accused were thereafter ordered to point out certain locations to the police and make false statements. He appeared in court for the first time and found out what he was being charged for 50 hours after his arrest. He claimed his constitutional rights had been infringed by the cruel, inhuman and degrading manner in which he was treated and detained and that he had been forced into implicating himself in various crimes. A medical doctor said in a report a hole in Vorster’s eardrum was still visible three weeks later and he would probably have to undergo surgery. The police in court papers simply denied all allegations. By Ilse de Lange The Citizen 05/03/13 |
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Crimes of the South African Police Service
