Woman plans charges against Phiyega over police brutality
The victim says she was arrested and tortured by officers who accused her of being drunk.
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)
