FOUR South African policemen are facing charges for allegedly torturing a Nigerian citizen, according to the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg.
This is coming few days after two Nigerian nationals were reportedly killed in the South Africa’s capital amid a resurgence of attacks on foreigners in the country.
An official of the Nigerian Consulate, Elizabeth Wale-Ayodele, said the suspects were arrested by South Africa’s Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) on Wednesday, February 1, at the Boksburg North Police Station.
However, Wale-Ayodele did not disclose the name of the Nigerian citizen who was allegedly beaten to coma by the suspects.
“Two weeks ago, 9th January, 2023, a Nigerian was assaulted in Boksburg by four police policemen.
“We received this at the consulate and immediately the CG (Consul General), Mr. Andrew Idi, was here two weeks ago to pay the victim a visit.
“He (the victim) was assaulted, thoroughly beaten, even when he complained of having kidney issues. He fell into coma and was in coma for nine days.
“So when he came out of coma, the CG was here to visit him and we opened the case with IPID. The consulate has followed up the case up till this moment”, Wale-Ayodele said.
She added that officials of the consulate were present during the arrest by IPID, the South African police watchdog.
“We are happy to see justice prevail. The consulate had worked on this day and night. We are happy to see the result,” she added.
The spokesperson for IPID, Lizzy Suping said the suspects are to be arraigned on charges of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm at the Boksburg Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, February, 2.
However, Suping noted the police officers had demanded the identification papers of the victim and arrested him after failure to produce the papers.
She added that it was while in detention that the suspects assaulted and tortured the victim, who was in coma for nine days.
Sinafi Omanga is a multimedia journalist and researcher with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. He has a keen interest in humanitarian reporting, social justice, and environment.
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@OmangaSinafi
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