/ 25 August 2015

Cops who killed my brother must never be free men, says Mido Macia’s sister

Some of the nine policemen accused of the death of Mido Macia.
Some of the nine policemen accused of the death of Mido Macia.

The family of murdered Mozambican taxi driver Mido Macia, vowed on Tuesday that they would never forgive the eight former police officers convicted of murdering the immigrant. “As a family, we are not doing well. We lost a very good person who was taking care of us. I hope that their conviction will bring closure to our family as we won’t be constantly be reminded of the incident on television news,” Melita Macia, Mido’s sister said shortly after high court Judge Bert Bam convicted the eight former police officers.

“We want money. We want to take care of the children. My brother was the breadwinner. He paid for school fees and other things. We are going to need money.”

She said she hoped the court slapped the former policemen with lengthy sentences, saying she would prefer “never to see the accused outside again”.

Melita said Mido’s young children were constantly asking about their father.

Earlier, Judge Bam convicted former Daveyton police officers Bongamusa Mdluli, Meshack Malele, Thamsanqa Ngema, Percy Mnisi, Sipho Ngobeni, Lungisa Gwababa, Bongani Kolisi and Linda Sololo of the February 2013 murder.

“The accused must rise now. Accused from number one to eight, you are convicted of murder. You may sit down again,” Bam ruled after reading out his analysis of the lengthy evidence presented during the trial.

“The accused, [are] from now on, in custody.”

The eight had been on bail during the trial. Sentencing procedures will begin on September 22.

Macia was approached by members of the police during February 2013, after he illegally parked his taxi and caused a traffic jam. An altercation between him and the police ensued. The officers arrested him and tried to place him in the back of a police van.

According to the accused, one of Macia’s handcuffs became entangled to the leg of a bench in the back of the van when he fell out of the van. They claimed he was dragged along the streets in Daveyton to the local police station by mistake.

However, the state argued that the accused were well aware of the fact he was being dragged behind the van.

Macia was later found dead in the Daveyton police station’s holding cells, half naked and bleeding.

The incident, which was captured on a cellphone video and widely distributed via social media, made international headlines and sparked several protests against police brutality. – African News Agency