A police officer arrested for allegedly assaulting a number of men who were being searched on the roadside last month, has been released on R1 000 bail.
Independent Police investigative Directorate (Ipid) spokesperson Robbie Raburabu said Sergeant Sibusiso Kunene, 46, was arrested on September 11 in connection with the assault, while other arrests are imminent.
“Ipid in KwaZulu-Natal arrested a member of the SAPS for assault on September 11. The arrest follows the surfacing of video footage on social media of police officers brutally assaulting and kicking about seven men who were lying down on their stomachs on the side of the road.
“The incident is alleged to have happened on August 22 on the N11 in Newcastle KwaZulu Natal. The two victims are alleged to have lost some teeth and others sustained some bruises. Ipid got together a team to investigate the allegations. The investigation culminated in Kunene being arrested. He appeared in court on Tuesday afternoon facing five counts of assault. He was released on R1 000 bail, and the case was postponed to September 22 for further investigation,” said Raburabu.
Kunene is reported to be stationed at Newcastle Detectives, but is currently attached to the Amajuba District task team.
“There is a possibility of more arrests being effected with more charges added as investigations continue,” said Raburabu.
In the video doing the rounds on social media, a police officer in civilian clothes, armed with a rifle, approaches a number of men lying on the side of the road, facing a marked SAPS vehicle.
The officer in civilian clothes is recorded while kicking the men who are lying down, and other uniformed police look on. The arrest comes days after another alleged police brutality incident reported in Kensington, in which a suspect was handcuffed to an SAPS vehicle and dragged several metres when “members drove to a safe area where they placed the suspect into the holding area of the SAPS vehicle”.
Ipid confirmed an investigation is under way.
This also follows the arrest of eight members of the Presidential Protection Services (VIP Protection Unit) after they were also recorded assaulting people on the N1 highway.
The members have since been suspended.
Cape Times