Cape Town - A Grade 4 pupil, who had an altercation with a police officer who arrested her brother for drug possession, was allegedly repeatedly kicked, slapped, pepper-sprayed and tossed into a police van containing adults.
Waseema Cassiem, 11, was left bruised and shaken after the incident on November 14 which is being investigated by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid).
On Tuesday,
Waseema sat quietly on the couch next to her mother, Fawzia Cassiem, at their home in Overcome Heights informal settlement, Lavender Hill. It was her second day back at school after a week recovering at home.
According to a medical examination performed at the Retreat Community Health Centre, Waseema had a “2x2cm soft tissue swelling from the right cheek to the upper lip” and a “left periorbital haematoma (bruise)”.
Her ordeal began when her brother Tashreeq Cassiem, 18, was arrested for possession of drugs.
Waseema said she asked the police officer: “Uncle, why you taking my brother, because you got nothing on him.” The question led to her being pushed to the ground and assaulted.
“He pepper-sprayed me and hit me in the face.”
Waseema said she picked up a stone and tossed it in the direction of the policeman’s voice. The stone hit the police van and damaged a window.
Catherine Leroux, a witness and resident, said she hurriedly went to call the child’s mother.
“The child was rolling around on the ground crying for her mother and screaming that her eyes were burning. He just kept hitting and kicking her,” said Leroux.
Cassiem, 52, who eventually arrived at the scene, said she went to protect her daughter. “When I saw her I covered her body with mine and begged him to stop, but he started kicking me too.”
Mother and daughter said they were repeatedly assaulted while other police officers stood by and watched.
Waseema was later tossed into the back of the van with her brother and his friend Magmoed Ely, 30. They claim the assault continued at the police station where she was allegedly detained with three other adults.
When Cassiem arrived at the police station and asked to open a case against the police officer, she was arrested. She said it had been terrible to see her child beaten.
“She is so traumatised and different since it happened. She used to love sport but only wants to be inside the house with me,” Cassiem said.
Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Andrè Traut confirmed that the Ipid was investigating a case of assault.
He said: “On November 14, around 9.30pm, members of Muizenberg SAPS affected an arrest for the possession of narcotics.
“Shortly after the arrest, the sibling of the arrested person, an 11-year-old minor, was alleged to have damaged the police vehicle. The minor was brought into the Muizenberg police station where a notice to appear at a preliminary inquiry was completed.”
Traut added the mother was arrested for “hindering a police official in the execution of his duties”.
He said the minor was never placed into custody or detained at at the station.
“She (the child) was then handed over to her aunt as prescribed by the Child Justice Act. It has been alleged that the minor was assaulted during the arrest and a case of assault has been opened and will be investigated by Ipid.”
Cape Argus