Umamah Bakharia | ub@radioislam.co.za

2 min read
8 November 2022 | 11:00 am CAT

The final days of anti-apartheid activist Imam Abdullah Haron will be revisited as the inquest into his death continues in the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday.

Photo credit: Unfinished business of the TRC

On Monday, the court heard that the “crime scene” where the deceased body was found was not managed according to standard protocol.

The late cleric was found dead in a Maitland police station cell in September 1969 after being detained by the security branch of the South African Police.

The security branch has denied any assault and claimed that Haron was well-treated.

However, Howard Varney, the Haron family advocate, told the Western Cape High Court on Monday that the cleric was subjected to brutality during his detention that lasted 123 days.

Varney added that the state has evidence indicating how Haron suffered fatal injuries after falling down a flight of stairs.

“To mask the real cause of those injuries back in 1969 and 1970, the Haron family was forced to sit powerlessly as an intricate web of lies unfolded to protect the security police responsible for Haron’s death,” said Varney.

Day 2 of the inquest starts at the Cape Town Police Station, previously known as the Caledon Square Police Station where Imam Haron was arrested in 1969. This will be to relive the moments before Haron died.