Cape Town - A mentally ill man has died after being brutally beaten allegedly by fellow prisoners in Pollsmoor prison.
Now the family of Peter “Pietie” Appel, 45, are demanding justice for his senseless killing.
Appel, who suffered from schizophrenia, died in Caledon Hospital on Thursday evening, three weeks after he was allegedly assaulted by fellow inmates at Pollsmoor prison.
His sister Mina Hendricks, 41, said his death comes nine months after he was first arrested on charges of damage to property and assault on October 21.
“When the cops came, he threw a brick at the van but it didn’t hit the vehicle,” said Mina.
“He threw another stone that cracked the windscreen and he also threw out the side window.”
She said cops then pepper-sprayed him and loaded him into the van.
Meanwhile, Mina went to get help from another cop who knew her brother’s history of mental illness and managed to calm Pietie down.
“He appeared in Caledon Magistrates’ Court where the case was postponed until the Wednesday so they could get a doctor’s report about his condition,” she said.
“I don’t know why they didn’t just release him on bail when they got the report.
“Instead they sent him to Pollsmoor and we only saw him every month when he came to court.”
Her husband Ruan Wolmarans, 26, added: “People who do worse things like rape and murder get bail.
“My brother-in-law wasn’t a criminal, he was mentally ill so why couldn’t he be released?
“He wasn’t a danger to the community.”
In July, the couple were informed that Pietie had been admitted to Victoria Hospital after he was assaulted.
“He was in a coma the whole time and just stared ahead of him,” said Mina.
“Sometimes he would move his arm across his throat as if he was reliving the attack and wanted to ward somebody off.”
According to Mina, they were informed that Pietie sustained injuries to the brain after allegedly being attacked by three fellow inmates where they were held in a special section of the prison.
The family then requested that he be transferred to Caledon Hospital where he passed away last Thursday.
Now they are left with many unanswered questions.
“We want to know why they couldn’t have released him on bail until they found a bed at Valkenberg where he was supposed to go for psychiatric evaluation,” said Mina.
“Or why didn’t they keep him at the local hospital or in Caledon Prison where we could have visited him?”
According to Department of Correctional Services spokesman Simphiwe Xako, the deceased was held at the remand detention centre at Pollsmoor when the assault took place.
“We are awaiting the results of an internal investigation that has been launched,” he said.
Daily Voice