Police make a spectacle of accused

Lebogang Baingapi | Tuesday June 2, 2015 15:29

The Lobatse born Tumisang told Magistrate Basetsana Keakantse that the police made a mockery of him at a mall when they called on the public to come and view him as he sat in their vehicle. He said upon the encouragement of the police, people crowded around to see him inside the police van. “One police officer said tlang le bone legodu la Molepolole (Come and see this thief of Molepolole),” he said.  He told court last week that after another magistrate, Odirile Mokgatle, ordered him and his co-accused Odireleng Kati to be remanded in custody to await sentence, they wanted something to eat. 

Not finding any food at the police station, they were taken into a van to get food from Pick ‘n’ Pay where the officer called people over to taunt them.

Tumisang said, as if the humiliation was not enough, they were also driven to a police residential place where a woman invited her children to come and see them.

“They kept on mocking us and referred to us as thieves though we have not been convicted yet,” he added. He also revealed that the police opened the van and told Tumisang to escape if he wished.

Tumisang alleged that he was assaulted by the police officer only referred to as Manyepedza. He was returned to prison where he allegedly refused to be detained as he claimed the names that appeared on the court papers were not his.  He claimed that Manyepedza and his colleague whom he referred to as Tolo taunted and assaulted him on the way to prison threatening to kill and abandon him.

He pleaded with the court to help him report the incident, as he felt humiliated and embarrassed by the police.  Keakantse reminded the accused during his appearance that he should lodge his complaint with the presiding magistrate (Kati) for that case.   She, however, also advised him to report the matter to the Jwaneng Station Commander in writing.