Macia autopsy paints a grim tale
Ilse de Lange, The Citizen reports: Mido Macia, the Mozambican taxi driver who was dragged behind a police van, had extensive blunt force injuries to his brain and skull as well as severe injuries to his chest, a state pathologist has testified in the North Gauteng High Court.
The state’s chief pathologist in Gauteng, Dr Solly Skosana, visited the scene where Macia’s body was still lying on the floor of a holding cell at the Daveyton police station and also performed an autopsy on the body.
On July 31, he testified in the trial of nine Daveyton policemen, who have pleaded not guilty to Macia’s murder.
Dr Skosana said Macia was lying on the floor, facing up with his arms above his head.
There was clotted blood underneath his face and on his mouth area and he was clad in a T-shirt, torn socks and underpants, with a second pair of underpants at his knees.
He said if Macia had received medical intervention immediately after arriving at the police station, it could definitely have made a difference.
Dr Skosana testified that Macia had numerous lacerations and swelling on his head and extensive injuries to his brain, which were indicative of blunt force injuries.
Dr Skosana concluded that extensive soft-tissue injuries and a lack of oxygen had led to Macia’s death.
An Independent Police Investigative Directorate investigator, earlier testified that there was no reason for Macia to be in the cells.
There was no statement by his arresting officer in the docket and no sign that he had been warned of his rights.
The trial was provisionally postponed to Monday for the defence to consult with an independent pathologist.
Read the full story here.
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