The brother of a man who was murdered by two police officers while in custody after he was accused of a housebreaking is relieved that the pair were found guilty of his murder.
Innocent Sebediela died in the Ennerdale police station holding cells after he was tortured by constables Derrick Johnson and Abraham Dintwe in 2018.
Sebediela was arrested after he allegedly broke into his brother-in-law’s home and stole a television set.
The two officers were found guilty of murder and defeating the ends of justice in the Palm Ridge magistrate’s court on Thursday. Sentencing proceedings in the matter are expected to take place on November 10.
Moses Sebediela, the deceased’s brother, told Sowetan that the family was happy that their two-year wait for justice was over and that they could move on from the ordeal.
“We’re elated because we always said that those officers were responsible for my brother’s murder. They killed him because they believed he stole a TV when he wasn’t even in the area when the break-in happened,” Moses said.
“My family has gone through a lot of pain because of his murder. We have had to take care of his two children because he was their sole provider. It’s been tough for them because they miss him and the things he did for them.”
Sebediela was part of a group of five men who were arrested and taken in for questioning after the break-in.
Ndileka Cola, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate spokesperson, said Sebediela and the other men were assaulted by the two officers in June 2018.
She said their investigations established that the group of five were not registered in the custody register.
Mashangu Dludla, who was one of the five men who were detained with Sebediela, said they were viciously assaulted and that the deceased soiled himself numerous times.
Dludla detailed the gruesome assault they were subjected to by the two officers after their arrests.
“It was winter when they arrested us. They came to us in the early hours of the morning. They used cold water and poured it on him [Sebediela] after stripping him down. They strangled him with a chain from a big key ring used in jail. They poured teargas into a plastic and covered his face with it,” Dludla said.
He said the unrelenting and violent interrogation lasted about four hours.
Dludla said Sebediela complained of pain in his ribs and had bruises all over his face and body.
Dludla said he was also assaulted but his assault paled in comparison to the beating of Sebediela.
“He was a bit responsive after the beating but he lost consciousness and stopped responding. We knew he was dead. The police then moved us to another cell while they removed his body.”
Dludla said though he was charged with possession of a stolen TV set, Sebediela was not charged before his beating and subsequent death.
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