Mpumalanga man demands police return his beer

Police in Piet Retief in Mpumalanga are accused of using excessive force when dealing with the public after they dug up beer hidden in a garden and assaulted one person.

Three weeks ago police allegedly confiscated alcohol that Fana Nkosi (50) had concealed in his garden and allegedly assaulted his son in the process.

A video circulated on social media shows the police unearthing the alcohol and have accused Nkosi of contravening the national disaster regulations that prohibits the sale of liquor.

Nkosi says the police have accused him of selling alcohol while the country is in lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19. However, he says the police do not have enough evidence to prove that he was selling the alcohol.

He claims he had decided to hide the alcohol in his garden because some of his beers went missing. Nkosi says he is having sleepless nights after his alcohol was dug up.

Nkosi says, “The police asked me why is the liquor hidden in the garden, then I told them that I was hiding it from my children because they are also drinking alcohol. This was because at some point I noticed that some beers were missing. Then I thought that let me then hide it like we use to do in the olden days.”

He says police should return his alcohol because the case was not taken to court.

“I didn’t want to keep the alcohol in the house because it was going to be my fault if the children were to be found drunk.  And my children didn’t know the alcohol was hidden in the garden. They were surprised when the police took it out of the garden. Now, I am requesting them to return it because I can’t fall asleep without drinking alcohol.  The court ordered that I should get my bail refund and get my beer back,” says Nkosi.

Police confiscate alcohol from illegal traders

Mpumalanga Police spokesperson Leonard Hlathi says Nkosi will not get the alcohol back because they are still investigating the matter.

Hlathi also confirmed that a case was opened against the police who allegedly assaulted Nkosi’s son.

Hlathi says, “Firstly there is a case that we have opened against the old man. The case did not sit at court because now we were directed to go and take further statements. This is what we’re busy doing currently and regarding the case which has been opened against one of our own, that case is receiving the necessary attention…”

“We have informed the relevant authority of the IPID. We are still awaiting for them to come so that they can take the docket. However, we’re not folding arms, we continue with our investigation on this matter,” added Hlathi.

The sale of alcohol remains prohibited under level 4 of the lockdown regulations.