Four South African Police Officers Arrested For Allegedly Torturing Nigerian Man To Coma

Four policemen in South Africa have been arrested for allegedly torturing a Nigerian man identified as Clifford Iroka Onyedikachi.

It was gathered that the incident happened on Wednesday after the victim and his friends were approached by the police officers who demanded to see their identity documentation.

Mabel, the Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA), who confirmed the arrest in a statement, shared a video showing the moment the cops were arrested at Boksburg Police station on Wednesday.

The statement reads, “On 2023/01/09 Mr Clifford Iroka Onyedikachi was with his friend Ike Goodluck at number 25 Street,Boksburg North. Both Nigerian Nationals. Police stopped and demanded papers from Clifford.

“He tried to show a police officer his papers on the phone which was sent to him electronically but the officers demanded to see a hard copy of the papers and not on the phone. He attempted to go to his car to fetch the paper, but the police still refused him to fetch the paper.

“It was two police officers who alerted the car. The third one, who was the driver, alighted from the vehicle when they were talking about the papers. One officer grabbed Clifford by his waist and asked him what was happening.

“The fourth officer opened the back of the van and Clifford was put behind the van. At the police station Mr Clifford was severely assaulted and suffered severe injuries. He was kicked by boots at his right chest while his one hand was handcuffed to a window of a container at the station. Clifford suffered injuries and he was unable to walk after the assault.

“The police tried to detain him for reasons unknown but the allegation is that the cell Commander refused telling the police to take him to hospital and he will allow them to detain him after medical treatment.

“Clifford was finally taken to hospital by his own car which was driven by Ike Goodluck, his friend for a few meters and one police officer jumped out from the police car and took over driving the victim’s car to hospital. The police van escorted the victim’s car to hospital.

“The victim was admitted to hospital. He was in a coma for about nine days. He was transferred from O.R.Tambo Memorial hospital to Johannesburg Hospital for further treatment.

“He suffered on the right lung where blood had to be drained. After draining the blood from the lung he was transferred back to O.R.Tambo Hospital where he regained consciousness after nine days.

“Today at the Boksburg Police station, the 4 policemen responsible for this grievous act were arrested in the presence of the Consular General of Nigeria, his Excellency Mr Andrew Idi alongside officials of the Consulate of Nigeria. It is a joy for the family of Mr Clifford and the entire Nigerian community that justice will take its full course.”

The spokesperson of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), Lizzy Suping also confirmed that the four members of the Boksburg North Visible Policing unit were arrested on Wednesday.

Suping said the four officers, a sergeant and three constables, face charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and defeating the ends of justice.

The four officers who were detained at the Boksburg police station are expected to make their first appearance in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

KanyiDaily recalls that another Nigerian man, Chinwuko Ugochukwu Augustine recently died after he was allegedly attacked by taxi drivers in South Africa.