28 August 2024
Colonel Delmore Manuel is one of three officers facing a charge of torture at the Wynberg Regional Court on Wednesday. They are accused of assaulting Juma Igiranieza, a barber, in Mowbray on 7 November 2023. The incident was caught on CCTV. Photos: David Harrison
Lawyers representing three police officers facing torture charges have asked for the matter to be postponed to allow them to prepare “further applications”.
The trio made a brief appearance at the Wynberg Regional Court on Wednesday. Colonel Delmore Manuel, Constable Jermaine Conradie, and Constable Leigh-Ann Maroon are accused of assaulting Juma Igiranieza, a barber, at his workplace, Perfect Touch Boutique and Salon, in Mowbray on 7 November 2023.
GroundUp published CCTV footage on 10 November showing several officers, one in plain clothes, assaulting Igiranieza. In the footage, at least two officers participated directly in the assault, while other police officers appeared unconcerned. Igiranieza was pummelled, struck repeatedly with a wooden object, and smothered with plastic.
This is an abbreviated version of the video. Download the full 11 minute video. Warning: both videos depict violence and most people will find it distressing.
Manuel, Conradie and Maroon were arrested on 22 April, and are currently out on R2,000 bail.
Moments before Magistrate Karel Meyer took his seat in the courtroom on Wednesday, Manuel, Conradie and Maroon quickly made their way into the dock. This was unusual because accused are usually expected to be in the dock when the magistrate or judge arrives.
Each attorney asked Meyer for the case to be postponed, but it is not clear what they intend to submit to the court.
Meyer granted the postponement.
Constable Leigh-Ann Maroon.
Outside court, photographer David Harrison had been waiting to photograph the accused in a public space. He said that Manuel, who was driving a marked SAPS van, had attempted to evade being photographed by nearly knocking him out of the way.
Maroon, who was with an unknown relative, also tried to cover her face using a buff around her face while walking to a private car.
Conradie was not seen leaving the court.
In GroundUp’s previous report, we asked SAPS whether the officers were still on active duty, to which SAPS spokesperson Frederick Van Wyk merely said that it was an internal matter and that “due process regarding disciplinary actions are under way”.
Van Wyk further said SAPS would not comment further on the matter.
Because Manuel was seen leaving the court in a SAPS vehicle and was still carrying his service holster, it can be assumed that he is still on active duty despite facing these charges.
At a meeting of the South African National Editors Forum a few weeks after the incident Minister of Police Bheki Cele stated: “I am told that IPID is working on this particular case and many others and will make recommendations. We will try to move fast.”
The case will return to court on 14 October.