hrvtrans HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION HEARINGS 1996-10-09 KAROO 3 CT/01507/KAR PAOLUS KOPUNG PAULOS KOPUNG SEVERE ASSAULT BY POLICE https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=55352&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/hrvtrans/karoo/ct01507.htm MS BURTON If there are family members who would like now to come and join the family as they move out, you may please come up by that stairs. We ask the other witnesses though to remain where they are. Good afternoon Mr Kopung. Can you hear now. PAULOS KOPUNG Yes, I can hear. MS BURTON Thank you. Please will you stand to take to oath. PAULOS KOPUNG Duly sworn states MS BURTON I will hand you over now to Ms Seroke. MS SEROKE PAULOS KOPUNG It was on a Saturday night. I met one of the policeman, his name was David, David Marhamba. We had a conflict with David Marhamba when one lady try to intervene and we stopped this fight I went home to sleep. Early in the morning on Sunday when I woke up, David arrived, accompanied by Xolile Sakathi. On their arrival, they wanted to see me, therefore I went out to see them. They wanted to know if I knew what I did last night. They ask me that I must accompany them to the office. My father said I must please leave with them. I did so. I left with them. When we got to the charge office, on arrival there, they said I must sit and wait. Whilst I was waiting, another policeman entered. His name is Dan Marhamba. I was still standing with this other two. They undressed their overcoats and then he said this is the dog and they say yes. He kicked me, he kicked me in my private parts and they beat me and that was the beginning of the fight. They beat me up with all their batons. Xolile kicked me and David and David Riet and Dan. They beat up, they assaulted me. I asked to be excused to go the toilet. When I got to the toilet, whilst I was in the toilet Xolile said to me he said I must please go out so I should run away so that they can shoot me and to death. I refused to run away. They took me back again. Whilst they took me back in there, another one arrived. It was not a policeman. His name is Themba. He was just a detective. He took me and then he threw me on the floor and then he was banging me against the cement floor. And when I tried to stand, he would bang me again on the floor and the other one said that they should leave me and I should go back home and come back at four. They released me. On my way there I met Mr Gcanga who is a teacher. I told him I was beat up by police. He took me, gave me a lift in his car. Then we went to the in charge. He asked him if somebody is on the wrong, is he arrested or is he beaten up. He said no a person should just be arrested. He just wanted to know if he could take me to the hospital. Yes, he agreed then I was taken to the hospital. And therefore Mr Gcanga took me to the hospital. We went back to the police station with my mother. The policeman who was there was Constable Nfengwane. He took a statement. And thereafter we went home and I was told that I will be informed of the date I was to appear in court. And I stayed for about a month and nothing happened. My father said that we rather get a lawyer. We got a lawyer from Bloemfontein, Mr Botha - Mr Gerber Botha. He investigated my case. I think we stayed round about a month when detectives arrived. It was Thabo. He took me the police station and took a statement. It was quite a while at the police station and then I was called and was given a date to appear in court. MS SEROKE You say in your statement the reason for your conflict between yourself and Dan was to do with football matters. PAULOS KOPUNG Yes, it is so. MS SEROKE Now there was nothing about politic in that or there was nothing political about that. Can somebody be beaten up so much to the extent of being hand-cuffed because of football conflict. PAULOS KOPUNG MS SEROKE Have you ever toi-toied before? PAULOS KOPUNG No, I was never interested in the toi-toi. MS SEROKE You say again they told you they finished with you - you must start running. What made you refuse not to run. PAULOS KOPUNG MS SEROKE Was it something they were used to doing. PAULOS KOPUNG Yes, I am not sure if it was something they were used to doing. PAULOS KOPUNG Yes, firstly it was reported to Nfengwana. MS SEROKE Was this the very same Nfengwana they went into his house when the children were attacked. PAULOS KOPUNG MS SEROKE What hope did you have when you reported this. What hope did you have to report him, his friends to him. PAULOS KOPUNG MS SEROKE MS SEROKE PAULOS KOPUNG Thank you. MS BURTON Mr Kopung thank you for bringing your case to our attention. I think it is one more illustration of the way in which many of the municipal police at that time felt that they could act in ways in which one would not expect policemen to behave and we certainly will see what can be done to investigate further how this apparent quarrel over a soccer difference escalated into such a severe incident. Is there anything else that you would like to say. PAULOS KOPUNG MS BURTON Thank you very much then for coming here today. PAULOS KOPUNG Thank you.