The alleged dragging death of a 27-year-old taxi driver by police sparks outrage in South Africa where activists say police brutality is on the rise. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports. Editor's Note: This video contains graphic images which some viewers may find disturbing.
By Ian Johnston, Staff Writer, NBC News
Eight South African police officers have been charged with murder amid outrage over the death of a taxi driver who was dragged along the ground while tied to a police van.
The incident in the Johannesburg area of Daveyton on Tuesday was caught on video by a bystander and the film has since gone viral on YouTube.
Mido Macia, 27, originally from Mozambique, did not die while he was dragged down the street, but was later found dead in his police cell.
Moses Dlamini, of the police investigation unit, said the officers were charged with murder late Friday, The Associated Press reported.
In a statement, South Africa?s President Jacob Zuma said that the ?visuals of the incident are horrific, disturbing and unacceptable.?
?No human being should be treated in that manner,? he added.
South Africa's police chief Gen. Riah Phiyega said she shared "the extreme shock and outrage" over the video evidence of abuse of Macia by police officers and said his rights were "violated in the most extreme form,? the AP reported.
Earlier Phiyega told a news conference Friday that the eight officers involved had been suspended and the station commander was going to be removed from duty, Reuters reported.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Related:
Taxi driver dies after being dragged by South African police van
South Africa uses apartheid-era law to accuse 270 miners of murder
'Murder on a massive scale': Angry fallout from mine shootings
?
This story was originally published on Fri Mar 1, 2013 5:49 AM EST
aretha franklin stevie wonder new orleans weather new orleans weather sparkle sacagawea new hope baptist church
No comments:
Post a Comment