Officers from Evander are being accused of assault

Sidwell Marule from Evander wants the law to take its course after Evander police officers allegedly assaulted him.

Marule said he was waiting for his friend outside a liquor outlet in Evander early in the morning of June 9, when police officers approached him and demanded to search him.

He claimed he did as they said. He also took out his legal firearm and gave it to them.

“While they were searching me, two more police members arrived in a police van. The officer was searching me and told them I was armed.

“One newcomer demanded my firearm licence, which I then handed over,” said Marule.

“I don’t know what happened next, because something struck me over the head. When I fell on the ground, they began assaulting me.”

Marule claims the police officers loaded him into the van and took him to the police station, where they assaulted him again.

“I don’t know what happened because I woke up at the Evander Community Park,” said Marule.

Marule said he immediately walked to the Evander Police Station, where he demanded to be taken to hospital.
He said officers again assaulted him and then chased him out of the police station.

“I asked about my firearm, and was told the gun was with the station commander.”

Marule said he went to the doctor and then to the Secunda Police Station to open a case.

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“If I have done something wrong, why was I not arrested instead of being assaulted?

“I have lost faith in our police. They are supposed to protect us, but they are the ones who break the law,” said Marule.

Colonel Donald Mdhluli, the Mpumalanga police spokesperson, confirmed the reporting of the incident and that a case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm was opened.

He said the matter is being investigated.

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