Crime and Courts

Motherwell police under investigation

Ten Motherwell police officers are under investigation following a case that was opened by civilian, taxi driver, Nkosiliseko Poswa. Poswa accused the policemen of physically abusing him after they had stopped him at a T-junction in second largest location of South Africa. The taxi driver alleges he was alone in his taxi then was asked about the ‘drugs’ he has in it. Poswa said he denied having drugs in the vehicle, and later on the taxi was searched but to the dismay of the officers found the taxi free of narcotics. Poswa said he was later taken to a deserted area “they tied my feet. They handcuffed my hands at the back. I was crying. While I was taking my shirt off, they started beating me. They kicked me and beat me with a pipe. My feet were kicked from under me.”

 Nkosiliseko Poswa is suing the Minister of Safety and Security for R334 500 in damages sustained after the incident that occuered in April 2007. Advocate Mncedisi Simoyi, a representative of the minister insisted that the police officers would deny the allegations of assaulting Poswa. He said that they will only admit that the handcuffs might have been a bit too tight. Warrant Officer Collins Boyce was called to the stand by Simoyi and denied knowing anything about the assault.

Poswa said he is a changed man after the incident. He said that is a day he will never forget as he feared for his life to the point of soiling himself. No judgement has been made and the case is still pending.

Nomazima Nkosi