Was man pushed out of moving car by cops?
SITEKI – Was he pushed or did he jump?
A 39-year-old man of Matsetsa claims that he is lucky to be alive after being subjected to heavy assault, allegedly by seven police officers from the Tshaneni Police Station. The incident is said to have happened on Thursday evening while on board a Toyota GD6 double cab. Nhlanhla Zwane, a Supervisor at Luza Luzile Farmers Association, narrated the ordeal that unfolded on the fateful evening, while seated on a bed at the Good Shepherd Catholic Hospital yesterday morning.
Admitted
According to Zwane, he was admitted to the hospital on Friday noon.
Zwane said he worked for the sugar cane scheme situated between Ngomane and Mnjoli, a few kilometres from Tshaneni. The supervisor said two weeks ago, the association’s Chairman, Nhlanhla Mngometulu, called him to enquire about five missing pesticide chemicals from the storeroom and he was being implicated because he was seen delivering some of the chemicals at Vuvulane.
Zwane said he explained that he only delivered three pesticide chemicals in cans to someone at Vuvulane as per an order.
He further mentioned that he did not have the keys to the storeroom as they were always under the watchful eye and in possession of the security officer.
Zwane said he also received a call from the Tshaneni Police Station to report to the station on the issue of the stolen chemicals.
The supervisor said upon arrival at the Tshaneni Police Station, a police officer asked him if he knew anything about the stolen chemicals as he was last seen delivering same at Vuvulane.
Zwane said he informed the police officer that he knew nothing about the pesticides. “One of my workmates had told me that going to the police station was a set-up but I had to prove my innocence and go there,” Zwane said. The supervisor said he arrived at around 2:30pm and found 10 police officers whom he greeted.
He further alleged that one police officer asked for his mobile phone and confiscated it. “They told me that I knew something about the stolen chemicals as I was seen delivering some at Vuvulane. However,
I informed them that it was an official delivery that was known at work. I told the police to ask for more information about the chemicals from the one who reported the matter as I was clueless about the whole escapade,” he claimed.
Bundled
The supervisor alleged that he was then bundled into a van, together with the seven police officers. The van went pass Vuvulane towards Maphiveni direction.
He said at Maphiveni, the police officers alighted from the vehicle, put on their bullet proof vests, took their guns and went to a waiting room situated about 100m away from where the van was parked.
“Three of the police officers were female. They returned and we drove towards Tambankulu direction. Along the way, as I was being assaulted, I told them that they should listen to what I told them about the theft incident and if they don’t believe me, I should simply record a statement have a charge levelled against me. At that instance, they opened the back door and shoved me out of the car while it was in motion and I cannot remember what happened next as I found myself at the Simunye Clinic,” the supervisor alleged.
Furthermore, Zwane said upon gaining consciousness at the Simunye Clinic, he found traffic police officers standing by his bedside. He said he was stitched and given medication and the police took him and dropped him off at Matsetsa.
“My family took me to Good Shepherd after assessing the severity of the injuries I had sustained,” he said.
Called to shed light on the matter, Luza Luzile Farmers Association Chairman Mngometulu said he reported the theft of the chemicals to the police after he got a report that there were chemicals that were being sold.
Aware
The chairman said he was not aware what transpired after reporting the matter to the police. “After the disappearance of the chemicals, I convened a meeting of all employees and enquired about the missing chemicals but no one came forth hence I then reported the matter to the police,” Mngometulu said.
The police officer who handled the matter asked not to comment, stating that the case was being handled by the Traffic Department at the Siteki Police Station. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed the matter. Vilakati said there was a man who appeared at the police station to assist them with investigations. She said the man was seated at the back of the bakkie alone when they were informed by witnesses that someone had disembarked and fallen at the back of the tarmac.
“He was seated alone at the back of the bakkie when police were informed about the incident,” she said.