Cop, Soldier Brutalise Phone Theft Suspect
Innocent Selatlhwa | Monday August 29, 2016 16:03
After receiving a call from the man’s cousin and caretaker Keabaetsa Dibetso, The Monitor visited the bed-ridden Kgosi who is awaiting allocation of a wheelchair as he is unable to walk or even use crushes. He spots a swollen face, swollen wrists from handcuffs, stitches on his chin, swollen left foot and bandaged right foot with a huge cut. He looked very, tired, hardly speaks, so Dibetso narrates his story.
Dibetso tells of how Kgosi was arrested and detained overnight by the Borakanelo police for allegedly having stolen a phone from a woman at the bus rank. “The following morning he was removed from the police cells and a special constable acting together with a soldier believed to be the woman’s lover beat him to a pulp using a metal rod before different officers took him to Extension 2 Clinic and then dumping him at home,” he said.
Dibetso said they then went and opened a case against the police whereupon the police advised that he gets better before they can pursue the matter.
He said they were then promised that the police will assist by taking him to the clinic on a daily basis but have since stopped doing so.
Borakanelo police station commander superintendent Modise Gabatshwane confirmed receiving the report from Kgosi. “Just a day after I was told of him being a suspect in a cellphone theft case I received a report from him that he was assaulted by the police.
He insisted that those he had identified as the perpetrators be brought to the same room, but I declined requesting that the matter be pursued once he gets better,” he said.
Gabatshwane said they have started their investigations but had not suspended either of the suspects.
He however promised that justice will prevail. While in Kgosi’s hospital cards it was reported that he was fighting with the police, Gabatshwane said it was never brought to his attention that he indeed had used any force against his officers.
He said they had a serious shortage of transport hence they could not take Kgosi for further medical attention.