SOCIAL media was abuzz on Friday afternoon after photos surfaced on Twitter showing a Benoni woman, arrested for speeding, tied to a chair at Kempton Park Police Station.
Reza Patel of Crime Air Network Initiative first tweeted the photos showing a woman whose leg had been chained to a chair. According to the post, this was illegal and went against basic human rights.
TRAFFIC OFFENDER CHAINED LIKE AN ANIMAL BY SAPS : KEMPTON PARK. EMM. GP. THIS IS AGAINST INTERNATIONAL LAW AS WELL!!! pic.twitter.com/3W9YIPdVLl
— REZA (@crimeairnetwork) May 22, 2015
Amanda Green, Kempton CPF chairman, said she received an anonymous phone call just after 2pm informing her of the incident.
“I went to the police station myself and saw the woman had been chained. Yes, I understand the police station is currently under renovation and there might not be enough holding cells, but to keep a person chained up like that for four hours is a crime against humanity.”
According to the police station’s spokesman, Capt Jethro Mtshali, the woman was leg-ironed to the chair to prevent her from escaping; a procedure used with all suspects. This was, according to him, not against any law.
“Suspects were brought into the station in the morning and this woman was the only female. Due to the ongoing renovations at the station, we unfortunately have only one holding cell behind the charge office, where suspects are kept until all admin has been completed. Because, by law, men and women cannot be kept in the same holding cell, the woman was put inside the charge office,” Mtshali said.
“Officers placed leg irons on her to prevent her from escaping, a procedure used with every suspect in the police station.”
Mtshali also explained the reason why she was kept chained so long.
“She was arrested on Atlas Road in Bonaero Park at 8.20am for driving over the speed limit. She was brought to the police station much later. Due to load shedding between 10am and 1pm, the admin process at the charge office was delayed substantially.
According to reports, the woman was arrested for exceeding the speed limit by 36km/h. Her bail was apparently paid and she will appear in court on Monday.
UPDATE KEMPTON SAPS VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS : FEMALE HAS BEEN GIVEN ZAR1000 BAIL & MUST APPEAR IN COURT ON MONDAY FOR EXCEEDING SPEED.
— REZA (@crimeairnetwork) May 22, 2015
