SIFISO Mbanjwa was taken to the police station on Sunday two weeks ago for stealing an old TV – and that was the last time his family saw him alive.
Cops at the Tsakane, Ekurhuleni police station told the family the next day that 33-year-old Sifiso had hanged himself with a belt in the police cells.
But family spokeswoman Gloria Mathike (67), said: “Sifiso does not own a belt and when he was arrested he didn’t have one on.”
Gloria told Daily Sun she thought her dead sister’s son would be safe when he was taken away from angry residents by the police.
She said Sifiso’s brother, Linda Mathike (33), went to court on Monday but he didn’t find Sifiso’s name on the court roll.
“He then went to the police station where he was told Sifiso had hanged himself,” said Gloria.
Family member Girly Mbanjwa (44) said they were given three different times when Sifiso had supposedly killed himself.
Girly said one cop told them that he didn’t know how Sifiso got into the cells because there was no record of him being there.
Spokesman for the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, Moses Dlamini, confirmed that a case has been opened.
“At this stage there are no findings about what caused Sifiso’s death. The matter is still under investigation.”
