The family of Mozambican taxi driver Mido Macia have filed a R6.5-million lawsuit against the minister of police. The 27-year-old died in police custody in February 2013 after being dragged behind a police van in Daveyton, east of Johannesburg, while handcuffed.The nine policemen accused of his murder are on trial in the High Court in Pretoria.The civil claim was brought by Macia's wife, Biuda Andre Mazive, and his parents, Silvestre and Joaneta Macia, after several bids to negotiate compensation for the family failed.story_article_left1They seek R4.5-million for Mazive as guardian of three children and R1-million for each of Macia's parents.The claim is for loss of support and damages.In affidavits filed as part of the claim in the High Court in Johannesburg, the family say Macia was unlawfully detained and denied medical attention.In the criminal trial, the Pretoria court this week heard shocking testimony of the circumstances surrounding Macia's death. At the time, cellphone footage of him being dragged behind the police van went viral and triggered public outrage.The accused - Meshack Malele, 46; Thamsanqa Ngema, 35; Percy Jonathan Mnisi, 26; Bongamusa Mdluli, 25; Sipho Sydwell Ngobeni, 30; Lungisa Gwababa, 31; Bongani Kolisi, 27; Linda Sololo, 56; and Matome Walter Ramatlou, 37 - have pleaded not guilty and are out on bail.On Friday, forensic pathologist Dr Solly Kaizer Skhosana, who did the postmortem, told the court that Macia died from extensive soft-tissue injuries and lack of oxygen.The court heard that Skhosana was called to the police station on the night of Macia's death.mini_story_image_hright1He found Macia lying in a pool of blood wearing only a T-shirt and underwear. S khosana told the court there were "bloodstains all over the floor and walls of the cell".He said Macia had deep cuts on the front and back of his skull and that the head wounds had been caused by blunt force.Asked if Macia's death could have been prevented had he received medical attention, S khosana said: "Yes."Warrant Officer Mpumzi Ngamlana, a Daveyton cell commander at the time, told the court he had witnessed some of the accused assaulting Macia.Defence advocate Marius van Wyngaard asked him about "crucial information" that he said Ngamlana had left out of the four statements he made to investigators.The trial continues tomorrow...