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The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) says it is investigating the attempted murder of a Nigerian national allegedly by police in a case that is related to the alleged torture and murder of fellow Nigerian Ibrahim Olamilekan Badmus.
Eight Vanderbijlpark police officers, accused of torturing and killing Badmus at a house in the town, appeared in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate's Court on Monday in connection with his murder on October 10, 2017.
Badmus was killed when officers allegedly interrogated and suffocated him.
The eight were each granted R3 000 bail despite IPID's opposition to their applications.
Read: 8 cops arrested, charged with torturing and killing Nigerian man
IPID spokesperson Moses Dlamini said that the directorate accepted the court's decision. However, he said, IPID was investigating an attempted murder charge against Vanderbijlpark officers regarding another incident that happened on the same day at the house.
Dlamini would not confirm if the same eight officers who allegedly murdered Badmus were being probed or if they would be charged with the attempted murder of a man who was allegedly assaulted by the police.
Support for officers from Popcru
He said after Badmus was killed, a group of Nigerian nationals started protesting and police returned to the scene.
One man was severely assaulted and later hospitalised due to the injuries he sustained.
On Sunday, the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) vowed to support the eight officers during their court appearances.
Read more: Popcru to defend cops arrested for murder
Popcru spokesperson Richard Mamabolo promised that the union would also offer legal assistance to the accused.
He said the union was disappointed with the arrests of the officers.
Mamabolo said when police initially arrived at the house where Badmus was killed, they found six men. They also found drugs.
The men allegedly then became hostile and called for others who assaulted the officers.
He claimed that it was in this context that Badmus died.
