Eight South African police arrested over death of man dragged behind van

Well, we all heard about the dragging related death of this man earlier. How about a positive follow up? His death isn't being swept under the rug to be forgotten!

Eight South African police officers have been arrested after a global outcry over the death of a Mozambican taxi driver who was handcuffed to the back of a police van and dragged along a street.

The officers were initially suspended from duty while the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) looked into the incident. They were later arrested.

It would seem public outrage and people power may have some impact on events at times.

The IPID said a second postmortem examination might be carried out on Macia's body. "The second autopsy is being considered. There have been so many allegations of assault, so this is just to confirm what happened," a spokesperson said.

President Jacob Zuma has condemned the incident as "horrific" and "unacceptable".

Source

This sounds very encouraging to me. It would appear the outrage was loud enough to get the highest levels of attention. The story notes in another place that this comes atop strong pressure from the shootings of 34 miners in an earlier protest gone wrong. That was also covered widely across ATS.

I thought folks may appreciate the follow-up news on this though. I'd been afraid it may have been left to slide as happens often enough in other places. I'm glad to see it won't be in this case.

Wonder what will be deemed as the appropriate punishment?

reply to post by solarstorm
Oh, given what they did to that guy? Well, I'd say they get a stake bed truck and drag them all together for the same distance they did to him. Fair sounds fair to me and it might give others a moment of pause before considering something SO far beyond human decency. I mean, the article is clear about the international nature of the outrage. Everyone seemed to see how downright evil this was to do.

I really like the idea of equal punishment, the more I think about it. I'm remembering the video and how they treated him. Yeah.. It would be fitting.

I dunno wrabbit... I do agree fair is fair, but we're not that low.

I've also thought about it and I do feel that they should be publicly humiliated in some way... a modern throwing of tomatoes, or tar and feathers.

I say they should be sentenced to a few years of community service; street-clean-ups, building maintenance/beautification, working with the underprivileged and aged... that sort of thing, something that helps better the country.
And that should be how ALL these lowlifes should be sentenced, to set an example to any other would-be bullies, that this is what WILL happen if you disrespect your duty and community.
Honestly, corruption cases should be treated the same.
(In our country there'd be more community service men than any other sector! lol)

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


The whole thing was pretty horrific. Last night I went to the shop and a cop was standing behind me in the que. I was looking at the newspapers headings.
He asked me if he could ask my personal opinion about something, and I said sure (with a bit of trepidation).
He asked how I felt about the the whole thing of the guy that was dragged behind the police van. Told him I was horrified.
He said that we citizens most propably do not trust them (the cops) anymore after something like that. Told him that this is true. What really caught my attention while he spoke to me was the tears in his eyes.

Regarding what will happen to these guys? History lately has shown that the cops involved will most probably get rapped over the fingers and be loose their jobs.
Let's hope this does not happen.

reply to post by solarstorm


Explanation: St*rred!

I

WOULDN'T

JUST

KILL

THEM!



Personal Disclosure: Oh no ... They'd have to suffer a lot first ... in front of their friends and family ... before they'd be given such grace!

reply to post by AlwaysWonder

I do feel for the good cops in our country-and there are many of those too.I met a young black guy who used to be a cop,a friend of another friend.Some one i dont want to say too much about,as last time i saw him,he was still in the witness protection programme-he saw fellow cops murder a suspect(the suspect was arrested on suspicion of robbery+ murder himself.)Yet he reported it-and when i met him,he had already spent 3years of his life away from his family,his life suspended while the court case continues.He'll never be able to return to what he wanted to be-the best cop he possibly could.Society is poorer for the loss of a cop like this guy-he believes that whatever you do,you should try and do to the best of your abilities.He has self-respect,and respect for life,and he has decency,and much of it.I propably wont ever know what became of him,but i do wish him well,in whatever he does-he deserves it-he's sacrificed literally years of his life,for what he believes should not be swept under the rug-and im guessing he may never be entirely safe again-there were 4 or 5 officers involved.I feel so awful for the way Macia was treated,though,it was grim to watch.In my country taxidrivers are notorious for causing carnage on our roads-they are viewed as a menace,literally a danger to be anywhere near to-so much death.Yet,no one wants to see a young man brutalised to death like this either-its hideous.And yet,there's a thread about a US cop today,killing some one on a bike,because she was on her cell.I find that JUST as obscene-though less sensationalistic-the effect on the loved ones of the murdered person,are just as devastating.Just to keep things in perspective.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


South Africa used to be a pretty nice place to live and visit? What happened to this once great country? I would tell everyone the cold hard truth but I am feeling politically correct today.



It is what it is. And South Africa is slowly slipping back into the filth pit.

Originally posted by Jimjolnir
I dunno wrabbit... I do agree fair is fair, but we're not that low.

I've also thought about it and I do feel that they should be publicly humiliated in some way... a modern throwing of tomatoes, or tar and feathers.

that made me laugh. not low enough to have them dragged behind a truck, but tar and feathering is fine.
i think tar and feathering may actually be a little bit MORE inhumane and brutal than dragging behind a truck. lets see first brush on our pour BOILING tar onto the victim. that causes severe burning and if they survive major scaring, not to mention the pain and damage from removing the tar later. the feathers are almost just an afterthought. to make the figure look "comical". i would almost think they would prefer the dragging.

I say they should be sentenced to a few years of community service; street-clean-ups, building maintenance/beautification, working with the underprivileged and aged... that sort of thing, something that helps better the country.
And that should be how ALL these lowlifes should be sentenced, to set an example to any other would-be bullies, that this is what WILL happen if you disrespect your duty and community.
Honestly, corruption cases should be treated the same.

interesting thought. i would stick to community service that does not include working with underprivileged and aged tho. bullies may decide to take revenge on those they helped and were made subservient to, who they think may have laughed at their discomfort and servitude. better off sticking to "hard manual labor gangs".

reply to post by generik

You know i sometimes think the ole "chain-gang" will be a FAR BETTER deterrent to the violent criminals,who values no life,and their own lives maybe even less,as must be the case, if you choose to take part in violent homocidal predations.They know the old adage of "You live by the gun/violence,you die by the gun/violence" -they know that,and still they takes their chances.

No languishing in jail cells,mess rooms and in lolling around in front of the TV,plus a stroll in the exercise yard-Hell thats more than many of these perpetrators have going for them out on the streets-where they have to pay for things too,and find a place to stay,and a job,food,clothes,etc,etc,etc

But chain-gangs:working your ass of-head down+hiney up from dawn till dusk-for year after year-That is something that Will dissuade quite a lot from a life of crime,at least the violent homocidal crimes for which the Chain-gang would be the only-and unending punishment.