Three KwaZulu-Natal police officers have been accused of the torture and murder of a 47-year-old man‚ who had been detained for questioning.

Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) spokesman Moses Dlamini said that detectives from the Muden police station‚ as well as operatives from the Greytown Crime Intelligence Unit had detained three men on August 2 for interrogation relating to a murder case.

“The three suspects were detained‚ tortured and assaulted inside Muden SAPS cells until one of the suspects succumbed to his injuries and died. Then the police orchestrated a plan to dispose of the deceased’s body‚ dumping it in nearby bushes‚” he said.

“The family of the man reported him missing at the same station when he failed to return home. The police told the family that he had been released on the same day after questioning‚” Dlamini added.

Unconvinced by the police’s version‚ one of the men’s relatives reported the matter to Ipid.

“A task team was formed and it worked around the clock and over the weekend. The team conducted an investigation and arrested three police officers on Sunday. Of those arrested‚ one is from Muden Detectives and two are from Crime Intelligence-Greytown‚” he said.

“More arrests are expected. The suspects will appear at the Greytown Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday‚ facing charges of murder‚ assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and defeating the ends of justice.”