Murder at Soweto police station

originally published:
22nd December 2009

Mduduzi Floyd Gumede was planning to take his wife on a holiday to Durban in the new year to show gratitude for her love and devotion.

It would have been a dream holiday for his wife and mother of three children, Given Somwahla, and a “wonderful way” to celebrate their seventh anniversary since falling in love. Instead, Somwahla, 26, is now preparing to bury her husband after yet another case of alleged police brutality.

Gumede, 30, from Meadowlands in Soweto allegedly died at the hands of police officers who “severely” tortured him and his friend Bongani Mnguni on Friday – the day they were arrested. The two were apprehended on allegations of possession of car-breaking equipment and driving a car with false registration plates.

According to Mnguni, Gumede’s sin was “knowing too much by asking the police too many questions”.

Douglasdale police station commissioner Director Jenny Naidoo confirmed that there had been a “murder” in the station’s cells on Friday, but refused to comment, saying the matter had been referred to the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD).

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Posted by Alison Leslie on 23/12/2009. Filed under Police Brutality & Killings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry