Durban - The Congolese man allegedly beaten by police and arrested during an interview with the media, has escalated his assault case to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid).
Mboyi Kalambayi, whom police said on Tuesday night had been arrested for interfering in their work by trying to hide an undocumented immigrant, was released without being charged at 3am on Wednesday.
He said he had filed a complaint with the Ipid against an officer who slapped and punched him to the ground at his flat during the raid.
Police arrested 160 suspects on Tuesday night as security forces including the police, the army and immigration officers, intensified Operation Fiela in the Durban CBD and Pietermaritzburg.
The operation is a government initiative with the stated aim of reclaiming the streets and ridding them of criminals.
Most of the suspects were undocumented foreigners.
Kalambayi, an HIV peer educator with the Refugee Social Services, was incensed that he had been beaten because he had legitimate paperwork.
“I will identify him (the policeman) because what he did was not right. I don’t feel safe because the police are supposed to protect us,” he said.
Police spokesman, Major Thulani Zwane, said places targeted were suspected “to be hiding the criminals and to seize all the dangerous weapons that are in the hands of the criminals as well as wanted suspects”.
“Seven (suspects) were arrested for being in possession of dagga, assault and resisting arrest.
“During the operation, dagga, liquor, four cellphones, two overhead projectors, laptop and a TV set were recovered in Pietermaritzburg and Durban,” he said.
Zwane confirmed a case of assault was being investigated by Point SAPS
.
Daily News