‘His brains were on the floor’: Soweto mum demands answers after her son dies in police custody
The inconsolable mother of Thapelo Modise, 30, the man who allegedly shot and killed himself while in police custody, insists her son did not commit suicide but was brutally murdered.
IOL on Tuesday spoke to police watchdog, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), which confirmed that the death of Modise was being investigated.
“What I can confirm at the moment is that, yes, the incident was reported to Ipid and we have started with our investigations,” said Ipid spokesperson, Phaladi Shuping.
IOL also spoke to Thapelo’s mother Susan who insists that her son was murdered inside the Dobsonville police station. Thapelo worked as a VIP protection officer and had a firearm.
The horrific Friday night took a turn when Thapelo, who was driving his Kia Pegas, was allegedly stopped during an operation by Johannesburg Metro Police officers. He was allegedly arrested for drunk driving and was taken to Dobsonville police station where a nurse was brought in to draw his blood for testing.
It was during that moment, inside the police station, that Thapelo allegedly pulled out his firearm and killed himself.
However, Susan said when she came to see his son’s body, the deceased man was heavily injured, with teeth dislocated.
“If they arrested him on the road, for whatever offence, how come they did not disarm him? How then do you book someone into the police station when he is armed? I am traumatised by what I saw. His brains were on the floor, while his body sat on a chair inside the police station,” said Susan.
“His body was covered in bruises. His was heavily swollen on the face. The gunshot wound was at the back of his head. He was sitting as if he was asleep and would wake up. However, his blood and brains were scattered on the floor.
“Thapelo was proficient in using firearms, if he so wanted to kill himself, there was other areas he would have aimed, not the back of his head. After shooting himself, I would expect that he would fall, but no, he was seated on a chair,” she said.
The grieving mother initially told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that she believes her son was killed.
“We want Thapelo’s case to be investigated deeper and deeper. That is why I called you (Newzroom Afrika) to come and help us by publishing the story of Thapelo. So many people do not believe that Thapelo committed suicide. As his mother, I do not believe Thapelo committed suicide,” she insisted.
“As a law enforcement officer, if he wanted to commit suicide, why did he not shoot himself in the forehead, or point the gun into his mouth? Why would he shoot himself at the back of the head?”
The inconsolable mother said the injuries on his son’s body also proves that he was severely assaulted before being shot dead.
IOL