Free State Police/Hitchhiker assault trial marred by more delays

The four victims of the 2017 Free State hitchhiker assault trial involving seven Edenburg and Trompsburg police officers are disappointed court proceedings continue to be marred by yet another delay this week.

HITCHHIKER ASSAULT TRIAL WAS MEANT TO WRAP UP ON 8 FEB

On Monday, 8 February, the seven police officers were due back in the Edenburg Magistrate’s Court for what was meant to be the conclusion to the long-awaited trial centred on the October 2017 assault.

However, the matter was pushed back to March 2021 due to the absence of one of the legal counsels reveals Lerato Mokotso – a victim in the case. A response from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) corroborating Mokotso’s version of events in court is still pending.

POLICE STATION COMMANDER AMONGST THOSE ISSUED WARRANTS FOR NOT APPEARING IN COURT

It is further alleged another arrest warrant was issued for more police officers in the matter after they failed to appear before the Edenburg’s Magistrate Court despite being summoned to.

That makes it the fourth warrant arrest of issued by the court for the non-appearance of a police official – as an accused or as a witness – in the case. Amongst those issued with arrests include a police station commander in the area.

HITCHHIKER ASSAULT TRIAL VICTIMS WON A LAWSUIT AGAINST POLICE

In January, the South African reported on the hitchhikers receiving R 187 500 of the R 350 000 they had each won from a lawsuit against police in December 2020.

THE HITCHHIKER GROUP WAS MISTAKEN FOR A GROUP OF ROBBERS IN OCT 2017

Mokotso – a security guard – and the other three victim’s version of events is that on 2 October 2017 they were hitchhiking on the N1 outside Trompsburg, heading to Edenburg. They got a lift from a white panel van which was to their surprise stopped by local police shortly after departure from the hiking spot.

The group was accused of a robbery at a local furniture store, in which the suspects made use of a white panel van. Mokotso says he and the other hitchhikers were promptly arrested and kept in police custody, where they were violently assaulted. The group was released from police custody not too long thereafter, but the damage had already been done. The group, Mokotso in particular, had to seek medical attention from a local hospital for their injuries.

IPID CHARGED THE SEVEN POLICE OFFICERS WITH ASSAULT

Internal disciplinary proceedings against the seven police officers – six men and one woman – between 2018 and 2019 turned out futile as their unions managed to defend their members successfully.

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) probed the case and found the police officers to be in the wrong, charging them with assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.