Allegations of torture amid investigations at University of Fort Hare

A union affiliated with Fedusa claimed that a member, who is an employee at the University of Fort Hare, was tortured by a group of police in front of his family.  

According to the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), its member was kidnapped from his East London home in the presence of his family and allegedly tortured for hours as a possible murder suspect by people who identified themselves as police.  

The general secretary of NTEU Grant Abbott addressed the media on Wednesday along with members of Fedusa, insisting that they wanted to bring the matter to the public attention.  

He said the alleged torture occurred on the backdrop of the investigation into assassination at the University of Fort Hare. He said the incident happened on Sunday, April 23.  

The university is yet to respond to these allegations emanating from Wednesday's press conference.

The unions refused to divulge the identity of the member, insisting it would compromise the charges they have against the alleged torturers.  

Abbott said the member was kidnapped, assaulted and tortured, threatened and subsequently released with a threat of death should the incident be reported to the authorities. 

The union said it conducted a comprehensive private investigation which led to the discovery of numerous other victims who had been kidnapped and tortured in a similar fashion by the same group of police members. 

“It is not known whether this group of police is operating outside the law, and is thus rogue in nature or whether it is some or other covert unit that has exceeded its authority. But in any event, it constitutes disturbing behaviour and the perpetrators need to be brought to book.” 

He said the investigation had led to the identification of some of the police personnel and said the union was in possession of their photos and detailed information regarding their identities.

He said the union had sufficient evidence to have culprits arrested and had been in contact with the director of public prosecutions in charge of investigating issues at Fort Hare.  

“We have provided him with the evidence that we have accumulated to ensure that a proper and professional investigation into this most disturbing event takes place. It is also our intention to make representations to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate to investigate this matter urgently,” he said.  

The union said the wife of the member took a video of the event but alleged that, acting unlawfully, one of the police members forcefully took the phone from her and attempted to delete content from it. 

Asked about the evidence and the case, the union’s legal representative Graig Jessop said he would not share the details of the evidence with the public “at this stage”.  

He said the director of public prosecutions had indicated that they will look at the matter with the urgency it deserves.  

“As we speak, we are waiting for the direction from the director of prosecutions on the formulation of the charges and additional protocol that needs to be followed,” he said.  

TimesLIVE contacted University of Fort Hare spokesperson JP Roodt to confirm these allegations and to confirm if the employee at the university was tortured.  

The response will be added as soon as it is received.  

TimesLIVE

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