Three policemen charged with the murder of Mbongiseni Ndlela – thought to have died while being tortured in custody – will spend the next seven days behind bars.
Sergeant Mxolisi Hadebe‚ Constable Ntethelelo Hlophe and Constable Sboniso Mchunu appeared in the Greytown Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
The case was postponed for a week.
The trio were arrested by members of the cop watchdog Ipid on Sunday and face charges of murder‚ assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and defeating the ends of justice.
A fourth officer‚ who had been sought by Ipid investigators‚ committed suicide at the weekend after his colleagues were placed in handcuffs.
Ndlela had handed himself over to police for questioning on August 2‚ with his captors claiming he had been linked to a murder. He and his nephew were tortured in custody‚ according to Ipid investigators.
“One of the suspects [Ndlela] succumbed to his injuries and died. Then the police orchestrated a plan to dispose of the deceased’s body‚ dumping it in nearby bushes‚” Ipid spokesman Moses Dlamini said in a statement.
“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.
They will appear in court again on August 22 for a formal bail application.
Police officers accused of killing murder suspect to remain behind bars
Three policemen charged with the murder of Mbongiseni Ndlela – thought to have died while being tortured in custody – will spend the next seven days behind bars.
Sergeant Mxolisi Hadebe‚ Constable Ntethelelo Hlophe and Constable Sboniso Mchunu appeared in the Greytown Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
The case was postponed for a week.
The trio were arrested by members of the cop watchdog Ipid on Sunday and face charges of murder‚ assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and defeating the ends of justice.
A fourth officer‚ who had been sought by Ipid investigators‚ committed suicide at the weekend after his colleagues were placed in handcuffs.
Ndlela had handed himself over to police for questioning on August 2‚ with his captors claiming he had been linked to a murder. He and his nephew were tortured in custody‚ according to Ipid investigators.
“One of the suspects [Ndlela] succumbed to his injuries and died. Then the police orchestrated a plan to dispose of the deceased’s body‚ dumping it in nearby bushes‚” Ipid spokesman Moses Dlamini said in a statement.
“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.
They will appear in court again on August 22 for a formal bail application.