Police investigate officers’ alleged assault of pregnant woman

POLICE are investigating a case of common assault laid against some of their members by a pregnant woman.

The woman, Rikky Minyuku, alleged the incident occurred at a roadblock on the morning of 12 February and claimed it was precipitated by her American accent. This resulted in her being hauled from a taxi, slapped, her documents temporarily withheld and being forced to stand against a wall in the mid-morning sun, despite her being pregnant.

Confirming the case, police spokesperson Warrant Officer Moses Maphakela said the incident involved police from Alexandra Police Station and was being investigated.

In a write-up, Minyuku, a South African citizen, said the abuse was perpetrated by a female officer with [20 officers standing by] who accused her of not being a citizen. Minyuku said her accent resulted from her long time in exile with family in America.

She said the police action was an abuse of her citizenship and human rights and an unwarranted action as citizenship verification was the role of the Department of Home Affairs, which didn’t have officers at the roadblock. She said she was forced to stand for hours and was only let to go after she threatened to report the matter to higher echelons, including the minister of police.

Officer Maphakela said investigations were ongoing.