Spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Phaladi Shuping, tells OFM News the commander of the Trompsburg police station and a local sergeant are amongst the police officers who failed to make an appearance in the Edenburg Magistrate’s Court as witnesses this week. As a result the Magistrate has issued warrants of arrests for these officials.

OFM News previously reported seven police officers from Trompsburg and Edenburg face assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm charges after they allegedly assaulted a group of hitchhikers on 2 October 2017.

One of the hitchhikers, Lerato Edgar Mokotso told previously told OFM News that he and three other people were hitchhiking on the N1 outside Trompsburg, heading to Edenburg. They got a lift in a white panel van, which was stopped by police shortly after they left the hiking spot. The group was fingered for a robbery at a local furniture store.

They allege police assaulted them while they were in custody before releasing them for wrongful arrest later the same day. The case was referred to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) for investigation and they in turn charged the group.

This, however, isn’t the first time that a police officer in the case has failed to make an appearance in court. In late 2019, the same courthouse issued a warrant of arrest for one of the accused police officers who failed to appear. Shuping says the matter has been postponed to 9 September 2020 for a trial date.

OFM News