On Tuesday, IPID spokesperson Grace Langa said the incident took place at the Rosedale Police Station. A man, 20, was allegedly assaulted by a police officer following his arrest.

Langa said the inmate succumbed to [injuries] as a result of an assault.

The man had been arrested for the alleged possession of stolen property. Inmates told IPID that on Thursday at around midnight a police constable removed the man from his cell and took him to a passage. The police officer then allegedly assaulted the man, accusing him of breaking into a relative's home, said Langa.

Inmates said they heard the man screaming and crying, while the police officer said he didn't care if the man died. After the alleged assault, inmates said they heard silence, followed by the police officer calling his colleagues.

"[A] colleague checked the deceased for any pulse or signs of life but there were none. The deceased was declared dead on the scene," said Langa.

News24