Inquiry after disabled man ‘manhandled’ by traffic cop

“LEAVE me alone‚ leave me alone‚” were the pleas from Alroy Kerspey‚ who walks with the aid of crutches‚ as traffic police yanked him around by his shirt collar in Knysna yesterday.

Kerspey‚ 46‚ became involved in an altercation with traffic officers in the coastal town when he could not produce his driver’s licence.

He drives an automatic vehicle as he has only the use of one leg.

Kerspey and his wife‚ Mercia‚ 39‚ were travelling along the main road‚ where they have a shop‚ when they were pulled over.

“The officers . . . asked him for his licence. His licence was in another vehicle. The officers then all of a sudden pulled him out of the car‚” Mercia said.

“That is when I grabbed my phone to film them. My husband is disabled and he has a heart problem. [He] had polio as a child and he could never walk on his own.

“They shoved him in their car and they took him to the police station.”

Knysna Municipality said yesterday it would review the footage and that an investigation had commenced.

“The municipality is aware of the unfortunate incident between a resident and our traffic officer that was captured on video this morning.

“In the interest of all parties involved‚ it will be premature to make any judgment based only on this video. The relevant department is currently conducting a formal investigation. Only after the conclusion of this investigation will the Knysna Municipality be able to comment‚” it said.

In the video‚ when Kerspey got out of the car‚ things went from bad to worse.

“You are threatening me,” the officer told him and then pulled him down onto the ground.

Mercia said what upset her the most was how the officers “manhandled” him.

“They shoved him in their car and they took him to the police station. I immediately went to the police station also. When I got there‚ no one could tell me the charge that has been laid against him‚” she said.

Kerspey was later released from custody and was at the local police station with his legal representative yesterday afternoon. – TimesLIVE