Despite his injuries, Titus Mahlatse was shackled to a hospital bed
A police dog unit inspector from Mpumalanga, accused of assaulting and setting his dog on a crime suspect, in Secunda recently, has been linked to a similar case. The policeman and his dog are now being accused of attacking a man and a woman, during a police operation, in Secunda three years ago.
Two weeks ago Titus Mahlatse, an alleged housebreaker, said that that he had been beaten by a policeman and mauled by a police dog at a taxi rank in Secunda. His case is still pending.
Now Ester Dlamini and Isaac Khoza say the same policeman and his dog attacked them. Their wounds, they say, may have healed, but they fear the emotional scars will last forever. Dlamini and Khoza allege that the policeman set his dog on them during a raid on this scrap metal factory in November 2000. They were arrested for dealing in copper. Their case was, however, later dismissed.
Dlamini says she can still hear the dogs barking while she sleeps at night, while Khoza says the incident has affected his speech. The two laid charges against the policeman after pointing him out at an identity parade. The Director of Public Prosecutions has, however, not prosecuted the policeman, saying that the file on this case has gone missing.
Police internal investigation in the matter has not yet been completed and the policeman continues to work.
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