A Nigerian is suing South Africa’s minister of home affairs, the local government, a police officer and an official at the Department of Home Affairs for hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages as a result of this alleged maltreatment.
Justin Ejimkonye, was shot in the leg by police in Johannesburg in 2010. The reason is unclear: It took the police 18 months to charge Ejimkonye with any crime. When they did bring a charge, saying he was carrying cannabis, a public prosecutor decided not to pursue the case for lack of evidence. However, Ejimkonye says police shot him because he refused to pay them bribes.
Over the past seven years Ejimkonye, who says he is in the country legally, has refused to keep quiet.
Now he is pursuing a civil claim for damages. He is suing the local government for 2.5 million rand in damages for personal injury and the Home Affairs ministry for 2 million rand for illegal detention, his lawyers say. He also hopes his civil suit can help reinstate his visa.
He says law enforcement and immigration officials have continued to brutalise and wrongfully detain him. A high court has twice ordered the police to set him free.
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