On the day that eight police officers appeared in court for the murder of his friend, Nkululeko Mkhize recalled the moment he accompanied the family to the government mortuary to identify him.
Nkosinathi Steve Zondi, 46, died while in police custody at the Protea police station during interrogation on February 23.
The taxi owner and two of his colleagues, all affiliated to the Lawley Taxi Association, had been apprehended for illegal possession of firearms.
Mkhize yesterday told Sowetan that Zondi’s body had bruises and blood emanating from his nose and mouth when they identified his body in Diepkloof, Soweto.
“You could see that he was assaulted. There were marks on his ankles and wrists which indicated that he was bound during the interrogation. One of his colleagues said their hands were tied behind their backs on a revolving chair and that the officers placed a towel over their faces and poured water on them to prevent them from breathing,” Mkhize said.
He said the three men were arrested for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and that the officers thought those firearms were used during taxi violence incidents.
“Zondi and one of his colleagues did not have permits for their firearms, but the other guy had a permit. The cops tortured him because they thought they were hitmen but that wasn't the case. These guys were taxi owners,” he said.
Zondi was buried in KwaZulu-Natal on March 6, four days after the officers made their first appearance in court in the matter.
The officers, attached to the Soweto Crime Intelligence Unit, appeared in the Protea magistrate's court again yesterday, where they claimed that the deceased had a seizure and died without them touching him.
Tumelo Motlhatlhedi, Maxwell Lawu, Norman Lebele, Thato Rabapane, Kgothatso Munyai, Azwinaka Randela, Khutso Ralebala and Brenda Khubeka face charges of murder, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) and defeating the ends of justice.
During their bail application yesterday, Motlhatlhedi said he and his seven fellow officers booked out Zondi and his two colleagues from the Lenasia police station holding cells on February 23 and took them to their offices in Protea.
In an affidavit which was read out by his legal representative France Mashele, Motlhatlhedi said: “Accused two (Lawu) and I interviewed the deceased in a boardroom regarding taxi violence incidents that he was involved in. We could not proceed with the interview because the deceased showed serious health issues as he collapsed.”
Lawu, who is also represented by Mashele, presented to court an affidavit with the same facts as Motlhatlhedi.
The other six officers told the court that they were questioning Zondi’s two colleagues and did not have knowledge about Zondi's death.
Their matter was rolled over to Wednesday for the state to present its case and oppose bail.
Gcina Zondi, the deceased’s sister, said they were hurt by the way he died.
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