NIU cops abuse suspects?
One of the suspects was hospitalised due to the severity of the beating
given to him by police
Crime Reporter | 30 October 2014 09:29
Top local attorney Justin Heunis has accused the NIU and the provincial
commissioner of ignoring the Constitutional rights of his clients. When he was
called to represent three clients arrested last week in connection with
ammunition and firearm charges, he was shocked when police refused him access
to his clients. According to a letter addressed to Lieutenant General Mmamonnye
Ngobeni, he informed her of what had happened.
The suspects were allegedly snatched by police without being charged on
Monday, October 20. They were then, according to Heunis, beaten by police. Both
men were beaten and when their attorney of record (Heunis) tried to visit them
at the Ezakheni police cells, he was denied direct access to them.
Worse still, when he eventually got a chance
to see them, he saw they had been beaten. “With blood-stained clothing, it was
clear that the NIU officers had tried to force confessions out of my clients,”
Heunis told the Ladysmith Gazette.
Heunis was denied direct access to his clients and could only speak to
them through a slit in the door. “Despite this, I could see bloody clothing and
asked what happened.” They informed him that police officers from the NIU had
beaten them.
When he asked to see the charge office commander, she told him that no
injuries had been noted in the prisoner observation book (OB). Despite his
requests that she go and see his clients and make an entry as to their
injuries, the officer refused. A shift change took place and when a new charge
office commander took over, he asked for photos to be taken of his clients,
notes to be made in the OB book, and his clients to have their wounds treated.
This was again refused. After Heunis had left the station, the same NIU officers
returned to the station and once more (according to his clients) assaulted
them.
They have since appeared in court, where their injuries were placed on
court record. One of the suspects was hospitalised due to the severity of the
beating given to him by police. In a second incident on Wednesday, the NIU once
again denied Heunis access to a client. “I was blatantly refused access to my
client by a colonel in the NIU. (“On no less than three occasions, he refused
me access to my client. This despite the fact that I warned the colonel that my
client has a Constitutional right to consult his attorney”)
Heunis addressed this issue with the station commander and cluster
commander. Again, no reason was given as to why he was not given access to his
client. Heunis goes so far as accusing Lt General Ngobeni of condoning illegal
actions by officers under her command.
“The colonel, who acts directly under your control, has no regard for
Basic Human Rights, is acting unlawfully and in blatant disregard of our Constitution.
It would appear that you condone these infringements of Basic Human Rights, as
this Intervention Task Team is under your direct control” he stated in a letter
directed at Provincial Commissioner Lt General Ngobeni.
This is the first time Mr Heunis has encountered this type of treatment
from the police, as he has represented the accused’s family for years.
http://ladysmithgazette.co.za/29032/cops-abuse-three-suspects/
