Two women ‘tortured to confess’

Cape Town - 2016/01/08 Sikelela Kani (27) and Sinazo Siyeni (24) who used to work at Hyperland in the Mitchells plain Plaza. The say they have been tortured and attacked by senior staff after they were accused of stealing. Photo: Bertram Malgas

Cape Town - 2016/01/08 Sikelela Kani (27) and Sinazo Siyeni (24) who used to work at Hyperland in the Mitchells plain Plaza. The say they have been tortured and attacked by senior staff after they were accused of stealing. Photo: Bertram Malgas

Published Feb 9, 2016

Share

Cape Town - Two female employees at a Mitchells Plain supermarket claim they were tortured after they were accused of helping to plan the robbery of the store’s manager.

Hyperland Cash and Carry’s manager, Zahir Davids, was shot during a robbery outside his home in Rylands on January 30, after he was allegedly followed home.

Sinazo Siyeni, 24, and her friend Sikelela Kani, 27, says suspicion fell on them after a polygraph test was done on them at work.

Siyeni said: “Our hands were tied to our backs, black bags tied over our heads, knives held to our necks, and we were told to confess.

“We begged and cried and told them we knew nothing but they kept hitting and kicking us.”

The young moms claimed that the first time they heard about Davids’ shooting was last week Monday.

They were shocked to be subjected to a polygraph test on Thursday.

They were in separate rooms and asked if they had been paid to give out information about the store.

“Everyone was told to go , leaving Sikelela and me, the owner, and a group of about seven to eight men carrying big guns, and who followed us to the back,” Siyeni said.

“Black plastic bags were laid on the floor and we were told today we will tell them the truth or die.”

She eventually lied to save herself: “They said if I loved my child, I should tell the truth and I said I did but I knew nothing, but they kept on strangling me until I soiled my pants.

“I was convinced we were going to die, so I gave them a story about a girl we used to work with at our other store.

“After it closed down and she was let go, she said she would have her boys come around.

“That’s when they let us go and said if we told anyone they would kill us and our families.

“The other manager, Shamiel, took us home.”

Shamiel Hicks denied any knowledge of the alleged assault but confirmed employees were polygraphed.

“I was here on Thursday and my job was to take everyone home after the polygraph test,” said Shamiel.

Police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said two cases of assault have been opened but no arrests have been made yet.

Daily Voice

Related Topics: