Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 24-07-2017
An advocate who was at John Vorster Square police station at the time of Ahmed Timol’s detention has described witnessing the anti-Apartheid struggle stalwart falling to his death.
The re-opened inquest into Timol’s death got under way at the North Gauteng High Court on Monday.
Timol, a teacher and member of the SA Communist Party (SACP) died, allegedly at the hands of security police at John Vorster Square in Joburg on the 22 October 1971.
Days of alleged torture and threats culminated in an incident where Timol was seemingly thrown from a 10th floor window.
The police claimed his death was guided by a SACP document that encouraged activists to commit suicide rather than betray their comrades
Advocate Ernest Matthers says he did not see an open window when he looked up to see where Timol had fallen from.
Matthers says he also didn’t hear any screams.
“I was standing some distance from the window and I saw a person fall and then he landed in a prone position with his arm bent beyond his head and I looked up and couldn’t see anything. I couldn’t see an open window.”
Timol’s family insists the anti-apartheid activist was murdered, and did not commit suicide, as claimed at the time.
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