NGUDLE CASE
The London Observer of November 3 reported a few facts about the. mysterious death of "“Solwandle," a former salesman of the now defunct . left-wing newspaper New Age: who was allegedly found dead in his cell in a Pretoria jail where he had been held under the 90-day law. [See World Qutlook November 15, pages 24,25.] A few newspaper clippings which we have just received from South Africa enable us to fill in more details,
The case involved Looksmart Solwandle Ngudle, He was "detained" by the police on August 19, The Gape Argus [October 21] reports that he "died in his cell in a Pretoria jail or police lock-up on September 5,"
Dr. George Lowen, Q.C., appearing for Mrs, Beauty Ngudle, the victim's widow, demanded an inquest, The circumstances of the death, he said, were highly suspicious, . -
Although Ngudle died on September 5, according to the police, they did not inform relatives for another ten days. Ngudle'ts mother was told that her son had "passed away." a -
When she asked what he had died from, the police told her he had. hanged himself, This information was met with complete disbelief by every~ one who knew Ngudile,
"Evidence will be led," said Lowen, "that it is unbelievable that this man, who was in the best of health and the best of spirits, would have hanged himself," _ : ”
' The mother asked that. her son's body be sent home for burial, -The > police said that it would be too expensive.
The authorities finally gave the mother a rail warrant to go to Pretoria to attend the funeral, The wife could not go because she had given birth to a baby,
The mother arrived in Pretoria September 22 and went straight to the jail. First the authorities told her that they knew nothing of the matter. Later they told her that the body nad already been buried.
Still later they claimed that they had buried, the body at the request of Ngudlets wife, "She strenuously denies ever making such a request," ©
The mother then asked for her sonts clothing. "She was told there were no clothes,"
The Gape Argus reports:
"pr, Lowen then read from a report made to the Bar council. py an advocate after seeing an accused -- not Ngudle.
"The advocate said he had been told thas they had been tortured, by being electrically shocked, and that canvas hoods had been placed over their heads, .
"Referring to Ngudle, the prisoners said he had not committed suicide but had died as a result of torture,"
Dr. Lowen asserted: "The man may have hanged himself, But there have also been cases in which people have been killed by other means and have ‘been found hanged by means impossible to achieve,
"We want only the truth."
ir, V. Marinus, an attorney for the state, sought to defend the police. He made the following statement about Ngudle: . "He was interrogated on a number of occasions. On the day before he was found dead, he gave the police certain information that led to other arrests,
"Tt was made clear to him that he could give evidence at his trial and what the consequences might be, -
"He realized he had given information which would lead to retribution from the persons concerned,
"It was a case of being put to death by the proper functions of the law or be put to death by the people with whom he had previously associated,
"That was his predicament,"
Dr..Lowen pointed out the complete impropriety of a prosecutor suggesting that a detainee not even charged with an offence faced death by judicial hanging.
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Joel Carlson, an attorney acting in behalf of Ngudle's widow.described how the authorities had manipulated dates in relation to an inquest. In response to a demand October 7, it was set for October 25. But on October 14 he was told by Marinus that it would have to be held on October 31. On October 17 he was abruptly informed by the Control Magistrate that it would start on October 21,
As for the reasons for this juggling of dates, he was told that the magistrate had no option in the matter. He was Nacting on instructions from higher authority." He would not reveal who the higher authority was.
On top of all this, “before Ngudle's widow_was able to interview her attorney in Cape Town," reports the Cape Times [October 22], "she was picked up by 'of all the branches of the police, the Security Branch,!"
As reported in the November 15 World Outlook, Dr. Lowen was unable to pursue the inquest to the end, He withdrew from the case because he said he did not went to expose himself or witnesses to prosecution,
This could arise from the fact that some of the witnesses, who are prepared to testify that Ngudle was tortured to death by the police, are 90-day detainees who are under banning orders, It is an offence in South. Africa to publish or quote any statement by a banned person,
The Deputy of Justice Later said that permission would be granted to let banned persons be quoted at inquest hearings. The attorneys were said to be reconsidering their decision to withdraw, os
This is all the information we have received.
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