Ipid probes death of man in police custody

Police watchdog, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), has opened an inquest docket after a man died of suspected smoke inhalation at the Morokweng police station near Vryburg in the North West, yesterday morning.

Provincial police spokesperson Sabata Mokgwabone says the man died in a police truck.

He says another person, a 24-year-old man, has been admitted to hospital after sustaining burn wounds.

“The men allegedly burnt while at the back of a truck in the early hours of Tuesday morning, 03 September 2024, at Morokweng police station near Ganyesa outside Vryburg. The pair was allegedly and temporarily kept at the back of a police truck that was parked at the station.”

“Internal departmental investigation to determine circumstances that led to the keeping of the men in the truck have been instituted. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate is investigating the inquest,” adds Mokgwabone.