Never answer your cellphone in front of the cops

A 16-year-old Alexandra boy learnt that it was not a good idea to answer his cellphone in front of the cops.

Kgothatso Moshidi, who resides in 4th Avenue, was allegedly assaulted at about 10pm on 25 August by four policemen who wanted to know why he was answering his cellphone. His sister, Pule said her brother went outside of their home after they heard gunshots.

“It appeared that the police were chasing a stolen vehicle so my brother and his uncles went to see what the commotion was all about,” she said.

The police saw Moshidi speaking on his phone and asked what he was doing while pointing a gun at him. Scared, Moshidi ran back into his house. “When I heard footsteps of people running to our doorway, I gave my baby to my mother and locked the security door,” said Pule.

She said the police demanded they open the door. “When I opened they dragged Kgothatso outside and started beating and kicking him,” she said.

Moshidi’s uncle tried to intervene and the police threatened to arrest him. “Kgothatso also dropped his phone while running and it has not been found,” said Pule. “We believe the police took it because when we called the number it went to voice mail.”

Pule alleged that when they went to open a case of common assault she was chased away and her brother was left to give a statement. “He is 16 and does not even have an identity document, I don’t understand why they would want a minor to open a case alone,” she said.