Dr Nandipha Magudumana has taken legal action by lodging an assault case against the Department of Correctional Services, following an alleged incident at a detention facility in Kroonstad.
Dr Nandipha accuses Department of Correctional Services of assault
The assault allegations surfaced after an incident on Wednesday, 11 October 2023, at the Correctional Services detention facility in Kroonstad, where Dr Nandipha was reportedly admitted to the hospital wing.
It was reported that she had undressed herself while being transported to court, and later collapsed in the holding cells, as claimed by her lawyer, Machini Motloung.
Motloung criticised the manner in which his client was transported to court, terming it as inhumane.
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The courtroom drama extended when the senior prosecutor, Amanda Bester, refuted claims of mistreatment, asserting that Dr Nandipha was appropriately clothed when she departed from Kroonstad, only to be found unclothed upon arrival at the court.
This narrative unfolded amidst a complex web of legal representation involving multiple attorneys and advocates during the proceedings of the Thabo Bester escape trial.
The Parkweg SAPS has registered a case of common assault, with the investigation subsequently being handed over to Kroonstad Detective Services.
Up till now, no arrests have been made regarding the alleged assault.
Furthermore, the day in court saw some charges dropped against three accused individuals, with the State declaring its readiness to progress to the pre-trial phase.
A notable development was the transfer of the case to the High Court, setting the stage for a pre-trial hearing slated for 21 February 2024.