Finally, five months after police were filmed assaulting a barber, they have been charged

Juma Igiranieza was assaulted by police officers during an unexpected raid at his workplace on 7 November. The incident was caught on CCTV. He plans to sue the state for damages. Archive photo: Mary-Anne Gontsana

• Five months after a barber in Mowbray, Cape Town was brutally beaten up by police during a raid at his work, the Director of Public Prosecutions has charged three police officers for the assault.
• This comes a month after the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) concluded its investigation into the incident.
• The incident, on 7 November, was caught on CCTV in which the officers are seen repeatedly punching the barber and striking him with a wooden item.
• The barber is also planning to sue the national and provincial police commissioners for damages.

Three police officers have been charged with assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm after they were caught on CCTV video brutally beating up a barber during an unexpected raid at a salon in Mowbray, Cape Town last year.

This comes a month after the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) concluded its investigation into the incident.

GroundUp broke the story of the assault on 10 November.

At a meeting of the South African National Editors Forum a few weeks after the incident Minister of Police Bheki Cele stated: “I am told that IPID is working on this particular case and many others and will make recommendations. We will try to move fast.”

On 7 November, Juma Igiranieza was assaulted by police officers at his workplace, Perfect Touch Boutique and Salon in Mowbray.

GroundUp published CCTV footage on 10 November showing several police officers, one in plain clothes, carrying out the assault. In the footage, at least two officers participate directly in the assault and none of the police appear worried by it. They unleash a barrage of punches on Igiranieza, strike him repeatedly with a wooden device, and smother him with plastic.

Here is an abbreviated version of the video:

This is an abbreviated version of the video. Download the full 11 minute video. Warning: both videos depict violence and most people will find it distressing.

Igiranieza opened a case against the officers and the matter was handed over to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) for investigation.

The investigation, according to IPID spokesperson Phaladi Shuping, was finalised last month and the docket was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for a decision.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila told GroundUp: “The office of the DPP has decided to prosecute three police officers on a charge of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. They will be served with summons to appear in court on a date to be determined by the prosecutor.”

Civil action

The lawyer representing Igiranieza, Russel Manuel, is an associate attorney at Lionel Murray Schwormstedt & Louw. He said that their client is also suing the police for damages.

Legal notices were sent to the national and provincial police commissioners in November and December respectively. They have 60 days to accept or reject (repudiate) the claim. Once the 60 days ends, Manual said he is instructed to issue summons for civil litigation.

Welcome news

The owner of the salon has welcomed the news of the officers being charged and said he would make sure to attend the court cases.

Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie also told GroundUp: “Members who are in conflict with the law will be subjected to an internal disciplinary investigation which will run concurrently with the criminal investigation.”

“However, we cannot predict the outcome of an internal disciplinary process which is between the employer and employee and not to be disclosed to the media.”

The officers can be named once they have pleaded in court.

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