Cape Town - Officers based at Athlone police station have come under fire for alleged intimidation and verbal abuse of members of the public, leaving a Cape Town family shaken.
The alleged incident occurred at about 10.25pm on Wednesday on the corner of Belgravia and St Athan roads.
After returning from a birthday celebration dinner, Muslim community leader Shaykh Sayed Noor Mohamed said they returned to Belgravia Road, where his son, 4, had requested sweets from a nearby shop.
While Mohamed’s son went in to make the purchase, he received a video call from a friend. Turning and lifting his phone for a better view in the direction of the police vehicle, an officer proceeded to hurl abuses at Mohamed and others nearby, as they were under the impression that the arrest was being recorded.
“This police officer just walks up to me in a way that he can hit you basically, and he said, ‘you’re f***ing videoing us’ and stuff, ‘I will f***ing break this phone’,” Mohamed said.
At the time, he said, police were visibly man-handling a suspect, with members of the public questioning the overuse of force. When questioned, the officer told a senior member of the public to “f**k off”.
“So obviously, I was shaken up. I was shivering because I felt that they were going to assault me because there were four police officers at the scene, but the two men were very abrupt and arrogant. They were swearing at everyone. They were swearing at me also.”
The family decided to go to the police station to inquire about the conduct of the officer. The officers refused to acknowledge any misconduct on their part, and the two officers further intimidated the family at the station, Mohamed said.
“I don’t even fear gangsters the way I feared the police that night.
“Imagine how many other citizens fear police officers and how many other citizens are getting harmed by them in this way.”
The family were later joined by his brother Sayed Ridhwaan Mohamed in an attempted mediation at the station.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said officers are bound by a code of conduct, and encouraged the complainants to lodge a complaint with police management or Ipid so their allegations can be investigated.
“The alleged behaviour by our members will not be tolerated.”