Byline: Nonjabuliso Nhlambo

05 October 2022

A police officer from Charl Cilliers is alleged to have brutally assaulted a woman on Sunday, 04 September 2022, and then opened an assault case against her to conceal his actions of brutality.

This was just a couple of days after the country had celebrated women’s month.

According to the victim, she and her boyfriend together with the boyfriend’s friend were seating in the car that was parked on the side of the road when a police van approached them.

The police asked why they were parked on the side of the road and requested that they alight the vehicle and when one of the officers peeped through the driver’s window, they saw the woman sitting on the front passenger seat and started throwing insults at her.

“One police officer said, so you guys are travelling with a b**h in the car and asked the driver to follow them to the police station,” explained the victim.

When they arrived at the police station, the two police officials requested the driver and the woman to follow them inside.

The woman said she asked what they did wrong, and the police officer continued with his insults and said, “so the b**h is talking back”, that is when she decided to insult him as well, he then grabbed her with her clothes meanwhile pulling her to the charge office.

When they arrived at the charge office, a police officer who had no clue about what was happening and the reason why she was brought in slapped the victim with an open hand bruising her on the side of the face, and as she probed why she was being hit, that is when the officer lost control and slapped her again, when she fell on the floor he started kicking her all over her body.

The victim said the officer even called his wife and told her that he is beating the living hell of a little b**h he arrested at work.

After hanging up the phone, he continued assaulting her and threw her in the cell.

Sadly during the entire ordeal, other police officers were just watching without restraining or reprimanding him.   

The next morning, a female officer who had just reported for duty found the victim with eye injuries, bruises, and fractured ribs and took her to Evander Hospital where she was transferred to Standerton Hospital where she was treated and examined for internal injuries.

When the Seskhona team visited the woman on Wednesday, 07 September 2022 she still had visible bruises all over her body and face with swollen eyes.

She also opened a case against the police for assault GBH.

“Now I am failing to understand why the male officer that actually assaulted me has opened a case of assault against me,” said the victim explaining her fear that the case she opened against the officer will not be taken seriously.

“I am surprised that I have been summoned to appear at Secunda Magistrate Court on Wednesday, 05 October 2022 for the said assault,” she added.

Seskhona Media approached Charl Cilliers Station Commander for comment and Capt Nkosinathi Khanyile said, “As the Charl Cilliers SAPS we are against gender-based violence or any abuse to women and children.”

According to Capt Khanyile the matter has been reported to IPID and the district office.

He further mentioned that no disciplinary procedure has started yet because according to the statement by the victim, she only gave a description of the police officer and the accent. She did not mention his name.

During the investigation, an identity parade will be held so that she can point at the official.