The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) has vowed to leave no stone unturned in probing the death of a Tshwane University of Technology (Mpumalanga) student allegedly at the hands of police.
This after chaos erupted around the Witbank police station this week following the death of Thabelo Mbau, 22, who was allegedly attacked by police at the Khayalethu student residence at the Emalahleni campus on Friday.
Mbau, a second-year electrical engineering student, succumbed to his injuries in hospital on Saturday, prompting Ipid to launch an investigation into the incident.
At least four students were reportedly arrested on Tuesday, after violence ensued during a student march against police brutality relating to Mbau’s death.
The students had gathered at the university to march to the police station to hand over a memorandum.
However, some of the students allegedly started throwing missiles at the officials who had come to receive the memorandum, prompting the police to open fire on the crowd.
SAPS provincial spokesperson Captain Magonseni Nkosi said police officials retaliated by using rubber bullets to disperse the crowd, wounding a few students.
In a statement, Ipid spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said the investigation had kicked off with a post-mortem on Tuesday, while seven people were interviewed and submitted their statements on what allegedly happened.
“Ipid will investigate the incident without fear or favour to establish all the facts of the matter. Ipid investigators will engage the senior public prosecutor (SPP) once there is sufficient information that will assist the SPP in deciding on the matter,” Shuping said.
He requested that the directorate be given space to perform its duties during the investigation.
He said the investigators had engaged the family of the deceased to update them on their work.
“Lastly, Ipid calls upon everyone who might have information on the matter to come forward with any information that may assist in the investigation,” Shuping said.
In a statement, the tertiary institution said it was deeply saddened by Mbau’s death.
“Thabelo allegedly succumbed to injuries sustained at the hands of members of the (SAPS),” the university said
The statement added that the university was waiting for an official report from Ipid regarding the circumstances that led to Mbau’s death.
“The university is providing the family and friends of the deceased with as much support as we can at this difficult time.
“We request that the family be afforded the space and time to inform one another, to digest their great loss, and to honour the memory of the deceased with dignity and without undue interference from the public and the media during this period of grief,” the statement said.
The Star