Heartbreak over teen shooting victim

AN UNARMED teen was among the seven people killed by the police during a late night raid at the controversial Seven Angels Ministries Church on February 23, his father said.

Luzuko Mbedu, 16, was shot and killed in the church dormitory next to his father Bandile Mbedu’s room.

Mbedu, 59, said he was dragged into and “wrongfully” detained at the police station for six nights without proper meals.

Mbedu moved to the church with Luzuko and his daughter, 19, in 2014.

He was arrested alongside 46 church men and 60 women.

Asked to describe the raid, Mbedu said, “I have never seen anything like that before. We were kicked and handcuffed and made to lie on the floor, face down.”

He said he was assaulted and prevented from checking if his children were safe during the police sweep. “Every time I tried opening my mouth to ask about my children they would kick me and tell me to shut up.”

Mbedu claimed that police officers stepped over dead bodies and wounded victims saying “let the dog die”.

“They didn't care whether we were dying or living and refused to call an ambulance.”

Mbedu said he watched his friend, former maths and science teacher Loyiso Dlambulo drawing his last breath inside the room they shared. “The soldiers [special task force] wore balaclavas. They just looked at him and said:

‘Iphelile lena sobe yenzento [This one is finished, he will never do anything]’. “They ambushed us and killed people.” The Police, Prisons and Civil Rights Union Popcru provincial secretary Zimikhaya Skade said the force used by the police was proportionate to the threat they faced that night. He said it was hard for police to choose who was innocent during a heavy exchange of fire.

Mbedu said the “army” stormed their doors and shouted at everyone to lie down and not make eye contact with them.

“I don’t see a reason for them to kill people there. I lost my son, it is very painful for me and her sister. She adored her baby brother, ” said Mbedu.

He wants to open a case of murder against the police but is scared. “How can I go to the same people who killed our fellow church members, if they can attack us like that then how will they give me protection?”

Mbedu said he resigned from his general worker post in 2014 after 23 years and donated his R350 000 pension to the ministry. “I used to work at the Nelson Mandela Academic hospital in Mthatha. That money went to the church and pays for the running of the ministry.

“We feed ourselves with our pensions so I don’t understand where the people got the malicious reports that we run the church with blood money. We don’t rob people, we have our own money.”

Luzuko Mbedu was buried on Saturday in Mthatha in the African Gospel Church.

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate said they were investigating the incident to see if the force used by the police was excessive.

The Hawks, who led the raid, were asked to respond to the allegations made by the church but declined to comment. —