By Hajira Khota
13:09:2021

The family of anti-apartheid campaigner Ahmed Timol, who died in police custody in October 1971, is outraged to learn that former apartheid policeman João Rodrigues died without facing charges for his role in Timol’s death.

Rodrigues, who was in his 80s, died at his Pretoria home in Wonderboom South without revealing his truths concerning Timol’s death nearly 50 years ago.

Radio Islam International interviewed Imtiaz Cajee, nephew of late Timol; “It makes me angry to learn that Rodrigues died before his criminal prosecution had even begun and all we needed was answers. This presents many issues that the government must address, particularly the NPA (National Prosecuting Authority) and the Justice Minister”.

Rodrigues’ legal team, according to Cajee, had a clear plan of delaying the case from the full bench of the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in Bloemfontein.
He stated that the team had postponed the lawsuit since the State would bear the costs.

Rodrigues’ request for a permanent stay of prosecution, which the SCA denied, was due to be heard by the Constitutional Court. After the apartheid-era secret police interrogated Timol, Rodrigues admitted that he was the last to see him alive.

Timol was arrested in 1971, and police officers, including Rodrigues, said that the young Roodepoort teacher and activist flung himself out of a window on the 10th floor of John Vorster Square, which is now the Johannesburg Central police station. However, the activist’s family refused to believe the new information, prompting the National Prosecuting Authority to hold a new inquest in 2017, overturning the 1972 finding that he died by suicide.

Cajee hoped to clarify the situation and help bring the family’s 50-year saga to a close. “The implication is that those like Rodrigues have gotten away with their crimes without being held accountable.”

Cajee believes the government should be held accountable for Timol’s family’s inability to learn the truth.

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