Eastern Cape police officer arrested after suspect dies in custody

An Eastern Cape police officer has been arrested in connection with the death of a murder suspect who was in custody.

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) arrested the 28-year-old police officer on Friday. The officer is stationed at Barkley East police station

“It is alleged the deceased 25-year-old male was detained in Barkley East for a case of murder he allegedly committed in Cape Town in 2020 and was arrested on [Tuesday] in Eastern Cape,” said IPID spokesperson Ndileka Cola.

On Wednesday, the suspect (the Eastern Cape police officer) and three other police officers – a stock theft unit member, a uniformed member who was allegedly on leave on the day, as well as a Mounted Unit member – allegedly booked the murder accused out for interrogation at around 9:30.

Cola said: “[Allegedly] they took the deceased suspect to the detectives’ offices which are nearby the police station to interrogate him. Two suspects, the detective and the uniformed police officer that booked out the suspect in the morning, brought him back to the police station around 17:00.”

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The charge office commander allegedly noticed that the suspect could not walk and was very weak, said Cola.

During the shift handover, shortly afterwards, the suspect was found dead in his police cell.

The Eastern Cape police officer was arrested and charged with murder, while his colleague is still on the run.

The officer arrested by IPID is expected to appear in the Elliot Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

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