THE Limpopo policeman who was caught on video footage brutally assaulting a schoolboy will be charged with attempted murder.
Sowetan learnt yesterday that, unlike other assault cases, the brutal nature of the attack on the boy warranted that the culprit be charged with attempted murder.
Provincial police spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said yesterday: "We are definitely going to charge our member with attempted murder and not assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm or just common assault."
His reaction follows the assault of Norman Mokau, a Vaalwater schoolboy who endured the beating by the uniformed policeman.
The incident happened on November 24 last year.
Mokau was so severely beaten that he lost consciousness and woke up later in hospital.
Mulaudzi said they viewed the matter in a serious light and that processes were under way to suspend the policeman "or even to dismiss him".
"The top management of police in this province view the allegations against the member stationed at Vaalwater in a very serious light. We therefore assert that a criminal case against the officer in question has been registered and the investigation process is at an advanced stage.
"So are the internal processes which either vindicate the member or expose his abuse of power.
"If the latter is the case, the concerned officer faces suspension and-or dismissal," Mulaudzi said.
He said he was confident that justice will have prevailed at the conclusion of the case.
The South African Police Union's Thabo Bulala also expressed shock at the policeman's conduct, saying it warranted immediate suspension.
"There are disciplinary measures that are applied in incidents of this nature," Bulala said.
He said Regulation 13(2) of the SAPS should have been applied.
"The regulation relates to an intention to suspend. Those processes were supposed to have been done a long time ago," he said.
Meanwhile, Mokau, who only turns 19 next month, said he would welcome any punishment of his attacker but wished that he could be assisted with money for his medical treatment.
Cop to face charge of attempted murder
THE Limpopo policeman who was caught on video footage brutally assaulting a schoolboy will be charged with attempted murder.
Sowetan learnt yesterday that, unlike other assault cases, the brutal nature of the attack on the boy warranted that the culprit be charged with attempted murder.
Provincial police spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said yesterday: "We are definitely going to charge our member with attempted murder and not assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm or just common assault."
His reaction follows the assault of Norman Mokau, a Vaalwater schoolboy who endured the beating by the uniformed policeman.
The incident happened on November 24 last year.
Mokau was so severely beaten that he lost consciousness and woke up later in hospital.
Mulaudzi said they viewed the matter in a serious light and that processes were under way to suspend the policeman "or even to dismiss him".
"The top management of police in this province view the allegations against the member stationed at Vaalwater in a very serious light. We therefore assert that a criminal case against the officer in question has been registered and the investigation process is at an advanced stage.
"So are the internal processes which either vindicate the member or expose his abuse of power.
"If the latter is the case, the concerned officer faces suspension and-or dismissal," Mulaudzi said.
He said he was confident that justice will have prevailed at the conclusion of the case.
The South African Police Union's Thabo Bulala also expressed shock at the policeman's conduct, saying it warranted immediate suspension.
"There are disciplinary measures that are applied in incidents of this nature," Bulala said.
He said Regulation 13(2) of the SAPS should have been applied.
"The regulation relates to an intention to suspend. Those processes were supposed to have been done a long time ago," he said.
Meanwhile, Mokau, who only turns 19 next month, said he would welcome any punishment of his attacker but wished that he could be assisted with money for his medical treatment.
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