A Lavender Hill mom has laid criminal charges against a Steenberg cop who allegedly beat her for seeking help at the police station during the lockdown.
This comes amid calls from Community Safety MEC, Albert Fritz, for the station to be investigated.
Assistant teacher and community worker, Cecelia Atkins, 38, came forward in April and said she was thrown into a filthy holding cell and kept behind bars for hours after being told by officers to go and report an attempted burglary at the Steenberg Police Station.
The traumatised woman says she tried to report two skelms who attempted to break into her house, but instead, she was “treated like an animal” and left to vomit on herself as she gasped for air in a cell filled with human faeces.
CHARGE: Cecelia Atkins of Lavender Hill
Atkins showed the Daily Voice bruises on her arms she says was caused by an “aggressive cop who rukked her” as she tried to explain why she was there.
This week she was contacted by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) and told to register a case at the station but the bang vrou refused fearing she would be arrested again.
“How can I go there, look what happened the first time? They came to my house to take a statement and they even asked me what I did to make the cop hit me.
“I am going ahead with the case and I will fight that fine at court.”
MISTREATED: Cecelia Atkins, 38, was given a R1500 fine for ‘violating lockdown regulations’
Police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut confirms an assault case has been laid and has been referred to IPID.
Fritz has called on the Western Cape Police ombudsman to investigate police inefficiencies during lockdown at Steenberg and Muizenberg SAPS.
He urged the public to lodge their complaints with the Western Cape Police Ombudsman by calling 021 483 0669
or email [email protected]
.
monique.@[email protected]