Cop kicks man’s balls for losing boss’s truck

Police investigating five fellow officers

A KZN man was allegedly kicked in the genitals and punched during a four-hour interrogation-cum-assault at the hands of five policemen who accused him of stealing his former employer’s vehicle. Sanele Khumalo, 25, told Sowetan his former employer’s vehicle, a 1 ton Kia truck, was stolen after he had left it parked on the side of the road two weeks ago. It had run out of petrol, Khumalo said. “I locked the truck and caught a lift from someone in the area to take me to the garage so I could get petrol. “I wasn’t gone for more than 30 minutes but when I returned the truck was no longer there,” Khumalo said. He called his former employer and explained what had happened.

“He was upset and told me that I was lying [and that] he would get me arrested.” The father of two said he did his own investigation about the vanished vehicle.

“For two weeks I went around the township, asking around about the vehicle but found nothing. I continuously updated my former boss about the lack of progress.” Khumalo was startled when on Friday he was approached by the employer and five officers from a neighbouring township who instructed him to go with them.

“The officers asked me if I had a gun on me and I said no. They took me to a sports field in KwaMashu where they pepper sprayed me; they punched me and whipped me with a sjambok.

“The only female officer among them also kicked me in my testicles.

“They said I should tell them what I did with the vehicle or they would kill me. This happened even though no case was opened against me.” He said the officers later drove around the township with him, performing their duties.

“I was with these officers for about four hours. They were drinking and taking me around the township as they responded to calls. They basically kidnapped me and told me they weren’t going to let me go unless I told them what I did with the car,” he said. Colonel Thembeka Mbhele confirmed that a case of assault was being investigated against the officers but refused to give more details.

“At the moment, all we can say is that we are investigating the incident,” Mbhele said.