Cops behaving badly: One 'assaulted spouse over Valentine’s message', another 'beat gran for Sassa grant'

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) was this week investigating at least two cases in which police officers were allegedly implicated in horrific gender-based violence (GBV) cases.

In one matter, the officer is alleged to have beaten his partner after she failed to send him a Valentine’s Day message. In the other incident, an officer is alleged to have assaulted and urinated on his elderly grandmother.

The first incident occurred in Ficksburg.

Ipid said at around 10am on Monday the male officer called his wife on her cellphone and asked why she did not wish him happy Valentine’s Day.

“She told the husband she was busy at work. He hung up. On Tuesday at about 5pm he arrived home and started an argument. He asked why she didn’t she post him on her WhatsApp status for Valentine’s Day, got aggressive and took out the SIM cards from both her cellphones, claiming they were bought with his money,” Ipid said.

“They continued to argue. The suspect got more aggressive and assaulted the woman. She fell and broke her leg. The suspect then locked her in the house and left but she managed to get out through the garage door and went to the police station to open a case.”

The woman was taken to hospital where she was treated for her broken leg and a bruised eye.

The 42-year-old officer was arrested and is set to appear in court.

The second incident occurred in Bohlokong, near Bethlehem in the Free State.

Ipid said the officer had been charged with assault and crimen injuria after he allegedly urinated and vomited on his 75-year-old grandmother. The elderly woman is disabled.

“It is alleged the suspect has been abusing her over the pension grant for a while. Other government stakeholder departments are involved in the matter and have submitted a report,” Ipid said.

The police watchdog said it was also investigating claims the elderly woman was being pressured by family members to drop the criminal case to protect the officer’s job.

Ipid said the officer had been suspended from the police service at the time of the incident, It was not immediately clear on what grounds he had been suspended. 

He remains in police custody and will appear in the local magistrate’s court soon.

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