Angella Johnson
THE police complaints investigation unit is probing the mysterious disappearance of a man who vanished soon after he was allegedly taken in for questioning by police.
Judas Mangolele was allegedly arrested at his home in Protea North, Soweto, on the evening of September 9 last year, after two men – one of whom was later identified as a police captain from the Protea murder and robbery unit – burst into his house and searched it. Mangolele has not been seen since.
Mangolele’s wife and sisters have searched for him at every local police station, to no avail. Police say they have no record of an arrest warrant or evidence that he was taken in. But police insiders fear he may have died under torture and that his body was dumped.
Advocate Jan Munnik, police reporting officer for the Witwatersrand, says the investigation is not complete. He said he hoped an arrest would be made soon. Should police find that Mangolele was abducted, he said, it would be a disturbing reminder of police activity during the apartheid era.
Mangolele (30) had previously been arrested on July 30 by members of Protea murder and robbery unit, on suspicion of involvement in a robbery at Diepkloof Post Office, where he worked as a teller. He was released without charge.
Mangolele’s sister Emily said this week: “Two white men knocked on the window of their house at about 10pm and demanded to be let in. They searched the place, told him to put on his clothes and took him away without any explanation.”
Mangolele’s wife was later able to point out Captain Martin Piek as one of the men allegedly involved in the abduction of her husband.
Police spokesman Superintendent Govinsammi Marimuthoo said: “As far as we are aware at present the gentleman in question was arrested only once, and then released unharmed. Captain Piek has denied going to the house in September and is still on duty.”