The three police officers who handed themselves to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate at the Durban Central Police station this morning, have been granted bail of R3 000 each by the Durban Magistrate’s Court.

The officers are among the 22 officers who are being investigated for the torture and death of a suspect in Chatsworth in 2018.

Regan Naidoo and two other men were taken in for questioning about a firearm that was used in a murder case. IPID spokesperson Grace Langa says they will appear again on 29 October.

“It’s worrying. One is asking what goes to the minds of officers when they are in a group because I think if one was alone or there were two, the chances are that we would not be talking about this number of arrests. I don’t know if it’s the influence of each other, it’s the excitement of it. It is just a matter of trying to protect their colleagues by hiding information that hence you will find the issue of defeating the ends of justice is involved as well. So it is kind of worrying and I am hoping others would learn from this.”

Meanwhile, Langa says more arrests are imminent.

“The more you make arrests, the more the information comes, the more witnesses come, the more the number increases. I cannot be specific in terms of the number because the more people come clean, or the more people provide information, that will help the case, the more our work becomes better. “