Woman plans charges against Phiyega over police brutality
The victim says she was arrested and tortured by officers who accused
her of being drunk.
FILE: Lana Stander claims she was assaulted at a Johannesburg police
station on 14 February 2015. Picture: VumaniMkhize/EWN.
JOHANNESBURG - A Randburg
woman has told Eyewitness News she will be laying criminal charges
against National Police Commissioner RiahPhiyega and her office after she was assaulted, allegedly by police officers.
In the early hours of Saturday
morning Lana Stander was involved in a car crash after suffering an epileptic
seizure while driving.
Police accused her of driving
under the influence, a claim she denies.
Stander said she was arrested
after the crash and tortured
by officers who accused her of drunk driving.
She said she was still
traumatised following her ordeal.
“I don’t think I can cry right
now or ever again. I feel hopeless.”
The 26-year-old, who suffers
from chronic epilepsy, said being attacked by police officers has left her
feeling victimised because of her illness.
“This illness is too much for
me and I am now being punished by the law for having this sickness.”
She said officials who were
patrolling the area stopped to inspect the scene and insisted she was drunk
because she was still unsteady on her feet following the seizure.
Stander was then allegedly
beaten, thrown against a police car and tortured for hours, suffering several
more epileptic attacks during that time.
She said her condition has never been a threat to other road users
because it’s been medically controlled for years.
The Randburg Police Station says it’s investigating the conduct of the officers involved.
The Randburg Police Station says it’s investigating the conduct of the officers involved.
Watch: 'Police beat and tortured me'.
(Edited by Winnie Theletsane)
