Man hangs himself before hearing

A man who was arrested earlier this year on theft and fraud charges committed suicide in the holding cells before his scheduled court appearance.

Billy Byleveld, 32, was arrested earlier in January on charges of theft and fraud and was waiting for his court appearance in the Krugersdorp police cells at the Krugersdorp Magistrate’s Court, reports Krugersdorp News.

On January 23, after being in jail for 18 days, Byleveld was sent from one courtroom to another before his bail application appearance.

He was accompanied by a guard and before being escorted back to the cells, threatened that he would commit suicide because he was not prepared to go back to jail.

His family tried to calm him down and comfort him before he was hustled into a cell. That was be the last time his family saw him alive.

While they were waiting for him to appear in court, a guard approached Byleveld’s stepfather to inform him that his stepson had committed suicide.

Byleveld’s family was devastated, since they had been assured by the guard who took their son to the cells that he would be fine, said Byleveld’s mother, Leensa Engelbrecht.

Byleveld hanged himself and was left hanging for almost two hours before the forensic team showed up.

His family now demands answers from the authorities.

Krugersdorp News approached the police watchdog, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), for comment.

Moses Dlamini, spokesperson for Ipid, said an investigation was still ongoing.

The family has sought legal advice on the matter. – Caxton News Service