Cop fired for stripping, beating man

Screen crabs from youtube shows a police officer assualting a naked man in Riebeeck street.

Screen crabs from youtube shows a police officer assualting a naked man in Riebeeck street.

Published May 10, 2014

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Cape Town - A police officer has been dismissed for the assault on a Nigerian man in Cape Town, that was captured on video footage that went viral.

Warrant Officer David Gunn was fired following a disciplinary hearing, police said on Friday.

In March, Gunn and colleague Warrant Officer Gerrit Januarie were captured in a video clip, stripping and beating Clement Emekensha.

The pair was from the Cape Town Central Police station in Buitenkant Street.

It showed them and Cape Town City Improvement District (CCID) security guards beating Emekensha and throwing him into van. He was kicked and punched in the groin.

The footage was widely distributed on social media and was the subject of much online discussion.

Following the Riebeeck Street attack, the pair was arrested and charged with assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. They were on R1 500 bail and were expected to appear in court yesterday.

Meanwhile, police spokesman Andrè Traut said Gunn’s colleague, Januarie, took discharge from the SAPS before disciplinary steps could be instituted against him.

“The criminal aspect of the case against them is yet to be finalised,” he said.

“Police brutality and crimes perpetrated by our members are not taken lightly because we are serious about protecting our communities with a professional police service… We encourage (people) to report violence perpetrated against them by members of SAPS so that we can take appropriate action immediately,” he said.

At the time, provincial police commissioner Arno Lamoer condemned the beating.

The CCID alleged Emekensha had been riotous.

The man who recorded the incident was seen by one of the officers and arrested, then later released.

Saturday Argus

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