Pretoria - The conviction of eight former police officers for the murder of Mozambican taxi driver Mido Macia must be a deterrent against brutality by law enforcement agencies, the National Prosecuting Authority said on Tuesday.
“We believe that this conviction sends a clear message, to say that brutality within the police force will never be tolerated. Police are expected to protect the community. They are expected to prevent and investigate crime within the frameworks of human rights,” NPA spokesman Luvuyo Mfaku told reporters in Pretoria.
“Any abuse of their powers, enshrined in the Constitution and the South African Police Service Act, will not be tolerated.”
Mfaku said the prosecuting authority welcomed the conviction of former Daveyton police officers Bongamusa Mdluli, Meshack Malele, Thamsanqa Ngema, Percy Mnisi, Sipho Ngobeni, Lungisa Gwababa, Bongani Kolisi and Linda Sololo for the February 2013 murder.
“As an institution we welcome the conviction on murder and we further commend the investigation and prosecution team, stakeholders and the community at large that played a significant role. To the family of the deceased we say, we are acutely aware that this conviction will not bring back your son but we hope that you find some closure in seeing that justice has been served,” said Mfaku.
“We encourage members of the community to ensure that they come forward and testify on matters like this. The entire community played a significant role to ensure that there was a video that was taken (of Macia’s confrontation with the police). That video projected a clear picture as to what happened on that particular day.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Judge Bert Bam convicted the eight former policemen in the High Court in Pretoria.
“The accused must rise now. Accused from number one to eight, you are convicted of murder,” Bam ruled after reading out his analysis of the lengthy evidence presented during the trial.
“The accused, [are] from now on, in custody.”
The eight had been on bail during the trial. Sentencing procedures will begin on September 22.
Macia was approached by members of the police on February 26 2013, after he illegally parked his taxi and caused a traffic jam. An altercation between him and the police ensued. The officers arrested him and tried to place him in the back of a police van.
According to the accused, one of Macia’s handcuffs became entangled around the leg of a bench in the back of the van when he fell out of the vehicle. They claimed he was dragged along the streets in Daveyton to the local police station by mistake.
However, the State argued that the accused were well aware of the fact he was being dragged behind the van
Macia was later found dead in the Daveyton police station’s holding cells, half naked and bleeding.
The incident, which was filmed on a cellphone and widely distributed via social media, made international headlines and sparked several protests against police brutality.
Following the conviction, Macia’s sister Melita vowed that her family would never forgive the eight.
“As a family, we are not doing well. We lost a very good person who was taking care of us. I hope that their conviction will bring closure to our family as we won’t be constantly be reminded of the incident on television news,” Melita told reporters shortly after Bam delivered the verdict.
“We want money. We want to take care of the children. My brother was the breadwinner. He paid for school fees and other things. We are going to need money.”
She said she hoped the court would give the former policemen lengthy sentences, saying she would prefer “never to see the accused outside again”.
Melita said Mido’s young children were constantly asking about their father.
ANA