[WATCH] ‘Death in cop shop not suicide’: Cops claim man hanged himself, family calls BS

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) is probing the death of a Bellville dad who cops claim strangled himself while being handcuffed at Bellville South SAPS.

The death of Wayne Denver Thomas in police custody has sparked an uproar.

Wayne, 26, was arrested for moering a skelm who stole his father’s bike.

Dad Willem, 65, says his son visited him on Sunday along with his three-year-old grandson, Leo.

“He took him to Bellville for the day to buy him Christmas clothes and came to me for lunch. He came across one of the skelms who stole my bike and went to sell it for scrap,” says Willem.

“Wayne was kwaad because I use the bike to get to work and now I must pay R600 taxi fare to go to work.”

He says Wayne moered the thief, who was hospitalised, and when discharged later in the day, he opened a case against Wayne.

“Wayne was arrested and taken to the station. On Monday morning, the children came to tell us he is dead at the station and I went immediately.

“When I got there and told them who I am, they told me I must speak to the Ipid investigator.

“He told me that Wayne was handcuffed on the one hand and used his left hand to tie a rope around his neck and on a grill and hanged himself.

“I told him that makes no sense and asked if I could see his body but they told me the body was taken to the mortuary.”

At Tygerberg Mortuary, Willem was told that the body was in fact still at the station.

“His body was lying there for hours before they called the ambulance and they told me liegstories.

“We don’t believe their version of what happened and we think they kept his body to stoot tyd while they clean the crime scene.”

Ipid spokesperson, Grace Langa, confirms they are investigating Wayne’s death and says they are not in a position to comment on what could have transpired.

“The male person was arrested for assault and was left in the office alone with his left arm cuffed against the burglar door.

“The police allegedly left him to go look for a second suspect for the same assault case and on their return, they found him hanged against the same burglar door with his body in a kneeling position.

“It is alleged that he used a cord to commit suicide as his right arm was not cuffed.

“The police officers involved have rights, the deceased’s family have the right of knowing what happened to their son.

“Unfortunately Ipid does not have the answers yet.

“We appeal for calmness, patience as well as space to conduct our investigations with integrity, transparency and fairness.

Mother, Pauline, 59, says she does not believe her son committed suicide.

“His girlfriend just gave birth to their second son two weeks ago and he loves his children,” she says.

“The baby has not even been named yet and there is no way Wayne would have taken his own life.

“We also don’t believe their story and we want justice.”

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