ELDORADO PARK RESIDENTS GIVE IPID 6 MONTHS TO FINISH PROBE INTO JULIES’ MURDER

Community members on Sunday afternoon marched to the local police station.

Residents of Eldorado Park, south of Joburg, on 30 August 2020 marched to the local police station following the murder of 16-year-old Nathaniel Julies. Picture: Kayleen Morgan/EWN. 

Edwin Ntshidi 

ELDORADO PARK - Residents of Eldorado Park, south of Johannesburg, on Sunday gave the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) six months to finalise its probe relating to the death of teenager Nathaniel Julies.

Community members marched on Sunday afternoon to the local police station.

Hundreds of people - including residents from Westbury, Noordgesig, and Reiger Park - gathered outside the police station to demand justice.

“This is what we want to see as the community: weekly updates on progress on cases, updates on the steps taken against the other two members who were on the scene, and an investigation into alleged corruption among police members,” said one of the community leaders.

The 16-year-old, who suffered from Down Syndrome, was shot in the area on Wednesday night and later died in hospital.

Police claimed that Julies was shot during a crossfire between rival gangs, but residents and the teen’s family claimed he was shot by the police.

During the march on Sunday, angry residents signed a petition that would be forwarded to Ipid, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and police.

Two police officers were arrested on Friday following a preliminary investigation by the police watchdog. The officers were expected to be charged with murder, a possible count of defeating the ends of justice, and possession of prohibited ammunition.

They were expected to appear before the Protea Magistrates Court on Monday.