Cape Town - A Lutzville police officer accused of violently attacking a 13-year-old suspect with a sjambok has been granted R2000 bail and ordered to leave the rural town until his case is finalised.
Constable Jaco Oktober, 31, made his first appearance in the Lutzville Magistrate’s Court amid an investigation by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) about the attack last week.
At the time, community activist, Sarah Bakamela, said they had been informed last Wednesday that the child had been accused of stealing a cellphone and had been held in custody for two days.
“He is a foster child and allegedly stole a cellphone and was apprehended by police.
“The police took him to Lutzville SAPS and assaulted him with a sjambok and the body was badly beaten. “Even hit in the eye.
“He was kept there for two days and later taken to the hospital where the doctor wrote an extensive report,” she said.
Irate residents went to the police station in the West Coast town, and wrote letters to Western Cape police commissioner, Thembisile Patekile, who ensured investigators from IPID were sent to investigate the matter.
IPID spokesperson, Lizzy Suping, said Oktober, who was stationed at the Lutzville SAPS Detective Unit, was released on R2000 bail.
“The incident was reported to IPID and Constable Oktober was arrested on Friday. He appeared in the Lutzville Magistrate’s Court and the case was postponed to October 29, for further investigations.
“One of his bail conditions is that he should not be in the Lutzville area, except when he is attending court, until the finalisation of the case,’’ said Suping.
mahira.duval@inl.co.za
Cape Argus