The incident relates to a bitter divorce battle and has ended with police arresting the feuding couple\u2019s son for allegedly stabbing a police officer with a knife.<\/p>\n
Prince Votjeka (18) claims that he smashed his father\u2019s car because he refused to pay maintenance money. Alfred Votjeka says he could not pay the money in April, because his wife Lorna suddenly decided to oppose their divorce, forcing him to fork out money for legal fees he did not have and had to borrow.<\/p>\n
Mr Votjeka junior said that he sent his father a message, telling him that he smashed his car, which was standing at another house in Hlalamnandi. Mr Votjeka senior said that he received numerous messages from his son, telling him that if he loved his car and did not want it damaged, he should send them money.<\/p>\n
After Mr Votjeka found out that his car was damaged, he opened a case at the Middelburg Police Station.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to teach Prince a lesson. I would never have imagined that it would turn out the way it did. I am very worried about my son,\u201d said Mr Votjeka.<\/p>\n
Also read:\u00a0Decorated police officer bitten to death in bizarre cell attack<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n A couple of days later Mr Votjeka was sent to a tuck shop by his mother. Mrs Votjeka said that Prince came running back home a few minutes later with four men, some wielding guns, in tow.<\/p>\n Gugu Mahlangu, Mrs Votjeka\u2019s sister, who was also present on the day, said that they had no idea what was happening. The men claimed that they were police officers, but they were dressed in civilian clothes and were driving in an unmarked double cab bakkie. She claimed that the men did not show any identification.<\/p>\n A fight broke out inside the house.<\/p>\n \u201cThey grabbed Prince and started beating him up. In the process, they broke so many things inside the house, including our kitchen counter and cupboards.\u201d \u201cI think he hit his head against a sharp edge in the kitchen during the fight. He was so busy beating up Prince he did not even notice,\u201d said Mrs Mahlangu. Mrs Votjeka admitted to hurling a chair at the police officers.<\/p>\n Mr Votjeka junior was arrested on charges of trespassing, malicious damage to property and also for stabbing a police officer with a knife, something he vehemently denies he did.<\/p>\n Mr Votjeka claimed that when he was taken away by police officers, he was not taken straight to the charge office but to another building instead. There Mr Votjeka claimed that he was tubed (when a plastic bag is pulled over someone\u2019s head to cut off oxygen) and kicked in his private parts. He also had two deep gashes on his head where he was hit with a pistol.<\/p>\n \u201cOne officer said that they should \u2018finish this dog\u2019 but then another one said that they should not because my father is a soldier,\u201d said Mr Votjeka.<\/p>\n Also read: Police protocol biased?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n When he was taken to the cells, his mother, who was waiting at the charge office, insisted on seeing him. She said she fainted when she saw the state he was in. Police arrested her too, also on a charge of stabbing a police officer with a knife.<\/p>\n Mother and son were kept in custody over the Easter weekend and appeared in court on the following Tuesday.<\/p>\n They claim that they were refused the right to open counterclaims of assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm against the arresting officers, causing them to turn to the\u00a0Middelburg Observer<\/i>\u00a0to get themselves heard.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want justice. Prince was seriously injured, he has trouble urinating and his hand is still sore. But instead of assisting us, we are being sent from one person to the other. Is it okay for police officers to assault someone like that? Are they above the law?\u201d asked Mrs Mahlangu.<\/p>\n The family has now made contact with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate. Mrs Mahlangu said that IPID advised them to go directly to the Middelburg Station Commander, Brig Thandi Jyane, for assistance.<\/p>\n The family went to see her on Tuesday and was told that they will be called for a meeting with the commander at the Detective Unit to lodge a formal complaint. The meeting did not take place. Mrs Mahlangu says that they feel they are still being given the runaround. They have now been instructed by IPID to write an email, with the photos attached, so they can tend to the matter.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Parents frustrated by a lack of space in Middelburg schools<\/a><\/p>\n Traffic officers to appear in court for corruption<\/a><\/p>\n #TrafficAlert: Two dead in Kranspoort accidents<\/a><\/p>\n VIDEO: Two perish after truck jack-knifes<\/a><\/p>\n \u2022 Save our standby number (072 248 3855) and send us a WhatsApp message with the words \u201cAdd me\u201d to be added to our broadcast list.<\/p>\n \u2022 Like us on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>, follow us on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2022 Subscribe to our\u00a0YouTube channel<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\nShe said that a police officer was bleeding.<\/p>\nAlso read:<\/h3>\n
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