A Wynberg man has laid assault charges against City law-enforcement officers he claims beat him up after finding him with drugs outside his home.
Marlon Goliath, 42, lives with his family at Valparaizo, a block of council flats in Wynberg. Security was tightened there after the Bulletin reported that an empty room in the block of flats was attracting crime. (“House attracts crime,” – May 30)
A 24-hour security guard was posted and law enforcement and SAPS officers patrolled more frequently.
It was on Friday May 31, the day after the Bulletin story was published, that Mr Goliath had a run-in with law enforcement.
Mr Goliath claims that he was beaten up by law enforcement officers when he was found possessing Mandrax on Friday May 31 outside his home.
“Sometimes when I feel naughty I’ll take some mandrax. I was standing here outside (Valparaizo) and a friend of mine was walking past, and I asked him to pass me some. He told me to hold the packet while he took some. Then I saw this white car driving up and down. I didn’t realise it was them watching us.”
Mr Goliath was arrested by two Wynberg law-enforcement officers patrolling that evening. He was charged for the possession of illegal drugs, resisting arrest and assaulting an officer.
But while Mr Goliath admits he had drugs on him, he claims the other two charges are false.
He said the law-enforcement officers were aggressive and initimidatory and when he questioned their aggression they pepper sprayed him, assaulted him and then falsely accused him of being violent.
Mr Goliath denies he resisted arrest or assaulted the officer.
Wynberg police spokesperson Captain Ntombi Lindipasi, Wynberg SAPS Spokesperson said that said according to their records, Mr Goliath fought back when officers tried to arrest him.
Mr Goliath had been restrained and detained at Wynberg police station, she said.
Mr Goliath’s side of the story differs.
“It was like they had been waiting for this chance,” he said. “One of the officers, he just started swearing and pushing my friend. I asked why.”
Mr Goliath said one of the officers had pepper sprayed him at close range after finding the packet of drugs on him.
“Mr brother, he heard me screaming from the house so loud he ran out. That officer was grabbing my arm so tight, trying to handcuff me; look, there’s still bruises even.
My brother said, ‘No you’re going to break his arm.’ He (the officer) said, “I want to break his arm.’”
Mr Goliath says the officers dragged him to the law-enforcement offices on the next block as he screamed, his eyes burning and his wrist hurting.
He claims he was taken to a back room where he was beaten up by the two officers while the other officers watched.
He claims the beating lasted for about 10 minutes after which they splashed three buckets of water over him to wash away the blood before took three buckets of water and splashed them onto him to hide his blood before taking him to the Wynberg police station to be detained.
Mr Goliath said he had been made to sit on the floor of a minibus that took him to the police station, and that on the way, the officer who had pepper sprayed him had told him that if he wanted to be released, he should give him a blowjob. Mr Goliath said he had refused and had felt extremely dehumanised.
“I just looked at him because I knew that if I responded they’d beat me up again. I was soaking wet. My nose was clogged with blood, my left rib hurt. I was in so much pain. Then he looked at me and said he got paid R30 000 a month to beat up people like me. These people are gangsters in uniform.”
Mr Goliath said officers at Wynberg police station had not questioned his appearance, even though it would have been apparent to them that they could clearly see that he had been assaulted.
He claims to have overheard a passing police officer remark that such incidents were common with the law-enforcement officers.
City of Cape Town law enforcement spokesperson Wayne Dyason said they were taking the allegations very seriously and would investigate the officers involved.
Following his arrest, Mr Goliath spent the rest of the weekend behind bars. He said officers at the holding cells had ignored his repeated calls to be taken to hospital.
“I was given only one call on the Sunday. I called my mom and asked for painkillers.”
He said that at his court appearance on Monday June 3, a police officer had advised him not to mention the assault but to admit guilt to the charges to avoid prolonging the case and having to pay bail.
He could not afford bail so he had taken the police officer’s advice, he said.
The magistrate released him on a warning on the same day.
Mr Goliath opened a case of assault against the law-enforcement officers on Friday June 14 at the Wynberg police station.
Police have confirmed this.
Mr Goliath said one of the officers had pepper sprayed him at close range after finding the packet of drugs on him.
“My brother, he heard me screaming from the house so loud he ran out. That officer was grabbing my arm so tight, trying to handcuff me; there’s still bruises even. My brother said, ‘No you’re going to break his arm.’ He (the officer) said, “I want to break his arm.’”
Mr Goliath says the officers dragged him to the law-enforcement offices on the next block as he screamed, his eyes burning and his wrist hurting.
He claims he was taken to a back room where he was beaten up by the two officers while the other officers watched.
He claims the beating lasted for about 10 minutes after which they splashed three buckets of water over him to wash away the blood before taking him to the Wynberg police station to be detained.
Mr Goliath said he had been made to sit on the floor of a minibus that took him to the police station, and that on the way, the officer who had pepper sprayed him had told him that if he wanted to be released, he should give him a blowjob. Mr Goliath said he had refused and had felt extremely dehumanised.
“I just looked at him because I knew that if I responded they’d beat me up again. I was soaking wet, My nose was clogged with blood, my left rib hurt. I was in so much pain. Then he looked at me and said he got paid R30 000 a month to beat up people like me. These people are gangsters in uniform.”
Mr Goliath said officers at Wynberg police station had not questioned his appearance, even though it would have been apparent to them that he had been assaulted.
He claims to have overheard a passing police officer remark that such incidents were common with the law-enforcement officers.
City of Cape Town law enforcement spokesperson, Wayne Dyason, said they were taking the allegations very seriously and would investigate the officers involved.
Following his arrest, Mr Goliath spent the rest of the weekend behind bars. He said officers at the holding cells had ignored his repeated calls to be taken to hospital. “I was given only one call on the Sunday. I called my mom and asked for painkillers.”
He said that at his court appearance on Monday June 3, a police officer had advised him not to mention the assault but to admit guilt to the charges to avoid prolonging the case and having to pay bail.
He could not afford bail so he had taken the police officer’s advice, he said.
The magistrate released him on a warning the same day.
Mr Goliath opened a case of assault against the law-enforcement officers on Friday June 14 at the Wynberg police station.
Police have confirmed this.