A Retreat family is demanding answers after a relative was killed in Pollsmoor Prison, but officials only informed them of the attack TWO weeks later.
Raziel Philander, 40, had been awaiting trial for two months when he was stabbed and beaten to death, allegedly by gangsters last month.
Tracy Philander, 25, says her cousin, Raziel, was arrested in August after getting a lift with two other men to Wynberg.
“Apparently the bakkie had been involved in a previous crime and police were looking for the
bakkie,” she explains.
“He was also arrested and held for possession of suspected stolen goods, as he had money and a cellphone on him.”
She says the family was devastated when they got a call from Pollsmoor officials saying Raziel had been rushed to Groote Schuur Hospital.
Raizel Philander was knifed to death while in Pollsmoor Prison.
“We didn’t even recognise him, that’s how badly he was beaten up. He was in a coma and on life
support.
“Raziel had over 50 stitches in his head. He had a cracked skull and damage to his brain.
“When we asked the wardens what happened, they said they found him after 3am on Sunday (27 October).
“On Tuesday (29 October) his life support was switched off and he died.”
The family believes wardens are hiding the truth about Raziel’s death.
“We went to Pollsmoor and Raziel’s mother demanded the truth, because where were the
wardens?” asks Tracy.
“They told us he was an unsentenced prisoner and was the responsibility of SAPS, but he was then in Pollsmoor?
“We also found it suspicious that Pollsmoor all of a sudden offered to cover the burial.
“We even overhead two wardens laughing about how badly he was beaten.”
GONE: Raizel Philander, 40, was knifed to death while in Pollsmoor Prison. Picture supplied
A spokesman for the Department of Correctional Services, Rudi van Heerden, says Raziel was attacked by fellow inmates two weeks prior to his death.
“The Department of Correctional Services can confirm that a gang-related assault has occurred at Pollsmoor Medium A’s Remand Detainee section at approximately 9.45pm on 12 October 2019.
“Unfortunately one detainee Raziel Philander succumbed to multiple stab wounds he sustained during the attack.
“Since the incident, two other remand detainees have been identified (as the attackers) and the matter has been handed over to SAPS.
“Correctional authorities have immediately instituted contingency measures which included the searching of the Pollsmoor Medium A facility and offenders
incarcerated.