Paul Mashatile’s VIP Protection Cops Spend Night in Jail After Turning Themselves In For Vicious N1 Assault

• The eight VIP protection services officers responsible for the brutal N1 assault have turned themselves in
• The men who were assigned to Deputy President Paul Mashatile were caught on camera viciously beating three civilians
• The suspended officers will face charges of assault, malicious damage to property and discharge of a firearm in the Randburg Magistrate's Court

JOHANNESBURG - The eight VIP Protection Services Officers responsible for the brutal N1 assault have spent a cold night in jail.

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) revealed that the men turned themselves in at the Sandton police station on Sunday, 23 July, after being instructed to do so, News24 reported.

According to Ipid spokesperson Robbie Raburabu, the suspended officers were processed and held overnight in the police station's detention cells.

8 SAPS VIP protection officers brutally assault 3 motorists

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IPID vows to arrest 8 of Deputy President Paul Mashatile's Protection Unit due in court for allegedly assaulting 3 civilians in video that rocked Mzansi

The men achieved infamy when their vicious assault on three unsuspecting victims was caught on camera by a bystander.

The viral video was met with outrage, with many South Africans calling for justice for the young men who were assaulted.

The case will move forward in the Randburg Magistrate's Court, where the men will face charges of assault, malicious damage to property and discharge of a firearm. The brutish cops will appear in court on Monday, 24 July, IOL reported.

South Africans doubt VIP protection officers will stay behind bars

Below are some comments:

@RonaMurdoch rejoiced:

"Finally!"

@vivamood1 predicted:

"Out on bail tomorrow."

@sloanmasangane said:

"To me, it looks like only social media is fighting crime."

@LebogangSeale commented

"Sadly, it took civic activism to get them ‘arrested’. Through the smokescreen of state machinery, we can see."

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KZN police arrest N2 highway stone-throwing criminals who caused accidents and robbed victims

@DimoTswaledi added:

"Credit to the person who took the video, open your cameras all the time, guys. Must have been taken with a phone with 4 cameras."

@Daliki3 claimed

"Lol, I bet they won't even finish a week there."

SA spends R1.9b on VIP protection police for government officials, civil society groups want unit disbanded

Earlier, Briefly News reported that the civil society group, Outa, pointed out that the government spends more money protecting ministers than citizens.

The organisation revealed that the South African government spent R1.9 billion on the SAPS VIP protection unit in the past financial year to protect themselves. In contrast, the money spent on the SAPS to cover and protect the entire SA population was a mere R2.247 billion.

Outa also pointed out that it seemed like politicians are afraid of ordinary citizens, which may be why they spend so much money on VIP protection police officers, reports BusinessTech.

Source: Briefly News