APA-Johannesburg (South Africa) South Africa’s Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) on Sunday arrested the eight police officers of the VIP protection service unit who are alleged to have assaulted three people on a highway in Johannesburg earlier this month.
The officers are expected to face charges of assault, malicious damage to property and pointing of a firearm to the victims when they make their first appearance before the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
IPID spokesperson Robbie Raburabu said his office had confidence that they had a very strong case against the officers.
“We are almost there with the investigations,” Raburabu said.
He added: “Investigators have been out engaging with the victims. They obtained statements from them and assisted them in opening the case.”
The officers belonged to Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s security detail and were said to have been escorting Mashatile home at the time of the incident.
The assault was caught on video and this led to the suspension of the police officers following public outrage over the incident.
NM/jn/APA