Newcastle detective arrested for assault caught on cellphone camera

The Newcastle detective, who was caught on video, kicking men who were lying on the ground along the N11, has been called upon to answer for his actions in court.

Sergeant Sibusiso Kunene of the Amajuba District Special Task Team was arrested on Monday, September 11, together with other members of his team.

While details were uncertain at the time of print, police sources confirmed that the arrests were being processed and that it was likely Kunene and members of his team would spend Monday night behind bars before making their first court appearance in the Newcastle Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, September 12, on charges of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Cellphone footage of Kunene kicking suspects in the face and upper body, while the men were lying on the ground, evoked outrage on social media last month.

The 30-second video, which was shared on several social media platforms was taken along the N11 near the Albert Wessels intersection. Instead of focusing the camera directly on the scene, the person who took the video chose to capture the scene from the reflection on the side mirror of the vehicle he or she was seated in.

See video here:

The video begins with Kunene raising his arm as he speaks to the people on the scene. In his other arm, he cradles his R5 rifle, which is strapped over his shoulder and across his body.

Seven men are lying on their stomachs alongside each other on the ground. They are using their arms to prop themselves up. Kunene then walks towards the men and the one on the far left appears to say something in the moment before Kunene’s foot connects with his face.

The man immediately draws his arms across his chest and face in a protective gesture. Kunene then kicks a second man in a similar fashion. He pauses and appears to be saying something to the men before he kicks the third and then takes a step back. There appears to be four other men standing with Kunene, some dressed in police uniform and others in plain clothes, and then the video ends.

Responding to a media enquiry with regards to the incident, SAPS spokesperson, Lizzy Arumugam, indicated that police were attending to a truck hi-jacking and robbery incident on Tuesday, August 22, when the video was taken.

At the time, Kunene declined to comment on the incident saying that an official statement would be released by the SAPS, but indicated that he had observed earlier that the men were carrying firearms as they approached the truck and he felt it imperative to keep them from moving as they may have still have had their firearms in their possession at that stage.

According to Arumugam, there were many suspects and only two officers at the scene initially.

“The suspects were not searched and were asked to lie down until backup arrived. The suspects were failing to comply with the instruction of the police and necessary force was used to subdue the suspects for the police officers’ safety,” stated Arumugam

Arumugam further stated that the men were arrested and charged with two counts of robbery and one count of truck hijacking.

Police confirmed that the group Kunene arrested on Tuesday were wanted on similar charges for an incident that occurred not long ago.
Witnesses allege the men threatened Kunene and his family during the incident.

Sources who asked to remain anonymous for fear of victimisation claimed the men who were arrested are associates of taxi owners and remain stationed along the N11 to discourage commuters from taking lifts with truck drivers, and to intimidate truck drivers who stop to offer lifts to hitchhikers, sometimes demanding money from hitchhikers and the truck drivers who stop to pick them up.

They said that while these men were a nuisance, they felt it unprofessional and unacceptable for a police officer to resort to kicking men who were already lying on the ground.

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