The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) in South Africa protested outside the court today and condemned the arrest of eight police officers over the brutal murder of a Nigerian student, Olamilekan Badmus.
Recall that the officers were arrested last Friday in connection with the October 2017 torture and murder of 25-year-old Badmus in Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng. Read previous report here: here
The suspects appeared in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate's Court on Monday morning, after the Director for Public Prosecutions gave the go-ahead for the eight officers to be charged with torture and murder.
In a media release made issued yesterday, (POPCRU) expressed their disappointment over the arrest. Read below:
MEDIA STATEMENT
The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) has learned with disappointment the arrest of eight police officers on Friday, 5 October 2018.
These eight police officers have been charged for murder and torture after an incident that took place on the 10th of October 2017. On this day, members of the K9 and Flying squad proceeded to a house in Vanderbijlpark, alleged to be a drug den, after they got information that the people staying there were selling drugs.
It was on their arrival that they found six men in the house when searching it, and they also found drugs in this house. Upon the discovery of these drugs, the men inside the house became hostile to the police, and even called on their other friends to come assist them.
Police officers were assaulted and disarmed and as a result, back up was called. This saw state vehicles being damaged and members of the SAPS being assaulted in front of the Vanderbijlpark SAPS Station Commander. This led to the unfortunate death of one person.
As POPCRU, we are against any form of brutality, be it against police or community members. It is equally unacceptable that police officers are disrupted through violent measures when conducting their job of ridding our communities from drugs.
Communities should never be deterred and stand idle when our youth are being targeted and destroyed by drug dealers, regardless of their nationality.
We encourage our men and women in blue not to be discouraged by such unfortunate turn of events where those who took to eradicate drugs from our streets now find themselves in this position.
These police officers are currently detained at the Boipatong SAPS, and will be appearing in court on tomorrow, Monday 8 October 2018 at the Vanderbijlpark Court.
POPCRU supports them fully, and has made means for their legal representation.
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