I couldn’t defend myself because I was handcuffed. I just curled up on the floor and waited for it to end. I had no other choice. It was brutal.
After a couple of minutes they left as quickly as they’d come.
I just lay on the floor, bewildered. What the fuck was going on?
After about 20 minutes the light snapped on. I moved myself back into a corner and prepared for a second attack.
The door opened, and I braced myself.
The police captain walked in with two other officers. He never said a word; he just stared at me. The three men came over to me in the corner. I was still squinting from the light coming on suddenly, but I could just about make out their features. They stood over me and gave me a couple of hard kicks, then asked, ‘Why did you kill your friend?’
‘Fuck off!’ I yelled. ‘I haven’t killed anybody! What the fuck is going on?’
The only answer I got was, ‘Confess now, or you’ll be sorry!’
‘Confess to what?’ I screamed. ‘I haven’t done anything! But if you take off these handcuffs, I’ll rip your fucking head off!’
I threatened them because I was panicking. I had heard stories and rumours about police brutality. All I could think about was getting out. At that moment I didn’t care about the money. I just wanted to escape.
All I remember about that moment was images of my life flashing before me. I thought they were going to kill me. I was trapped; my nerves went and I desperately tried to imagine ways of escaping.
After subjecting me to more brutality, the three police left, closed the door, and a few seconds afterwards, turned out the light again. I tried my best to remain calm but I couldn’t.
After what seemed like an hour or so, they came back. The light snapped on again and this time five officers came.
There was a table and some chairs in another corner of the room, which I hadn’t noticed before. One of the officers brought over a chair, dragged me to my feet, then pushed me down onto it.
One officer stood behind me, holding my shoulders down, and there was one on either side of me holding down an arm and a leg each. Another one picked up two big telephone directories and stood to my right, just out of my line of vision.
The fifth officer picked up another chair and came and sat in front of me. They never said a word to me or even spoke to each other.
I felt like getting sick. I knew they were going to torture me but I couldn’t believe it was going to happen. I found this sensation terrifying. I pleaded with them to let me go but they wouldn’t. I begged one of them to help me. My breathing became deeper and deeper as I tried to relax and prepare myself for pain.
Suddenly the officer sitting on the chair nodded at the officer to my right.
Immediately, my head went numb.
The policeman had smashed two telephone directories against my skull. The pain went straight to the base of my spine. It was excruciating.
‘Why did you kill your friend?’ he barked. Droplets of spit landed on my eyes and face.
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about!’ I screamed.
He struck me again.
‘We know you killed him!’
‘I didn’t kill anybody!’
They attacked me in this way again and again. I tried to cope as best I could. I tried not to break down, but I couldn’t hold myself together.
Telephone directories are heavy and when someone brings one down hard on your skull, it hurts, believe me. After they’ve done it ten times you’re seeing stars. They don’t leave any marks, but they cause unbelievable pain.
I was sure that shocking my brain every time with heavy blows would lead to severe damage. I imagined myself sustaining a serious brain injury.
After about 20 minutes, the beating stopped. The officers got up abruptly and left, and the light went out again.
My nose had started to bleed. I could feel the blood trickling down my lip and taste it in my mouth. My head throbbed. I was in pain.
I felt excruciating pain in my neck and shoulders. If
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