LOCAL

Two Fish Hoek police officers who were recorded seemingly assaulting an unarmed man in the Western Cape town will appear in court on September 30, said the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) on Tuesday.

“The officers were seen in a social media post at the weekend assaulting a member of the public. They will face a charge of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm,” said Ipid spokesperson Lizzy Suping.

In the video, the man is seemingly wrestled and pinned to the ground by one officer, while the other repeatedly beats him with a baton.

Asked by a bystander what he had done, the assaulted man, sitting on the ground and breathing heavily, said: “I was trying to get their help to lodge a missing person [case].”

He tells the bystander the missing person is his girlfriend.

Ipid said it was investigating the incident.

Potelwa said a senior police official has been appointed to investigate the matter in terms of the police service disciplinary code.

“Preliminary findings reveal the two policemen in the video are from Fish Hoek station and had responded to a complaint in the area about a missing individual.

“Police management urges that space be given for investigations to unfold. Once the internal probe is finalised, the outcome will be made known.”

Source: Times Live 

Meanwhile, Police confirmed that assault cases have been lodged against police and 28-year-old Joel Gaffley. Gaffley appeared in the Simon’s Town Magistrate’s Court, where his case was postponed until September 20 for possible mediation.