Murder of Mido Macia

{{Infobox civilian attack

| title = Murder of Mido Macia

| image = MidoMaciaVideo.jpg

| caption = Macia handcuffed to the back of the police van before being murdered

| location = Daveyton, Gauteng, South Africa

| date = {{start date|2013|02|26|df=yes}}

| type = Police killing, murder by dragging

| fatalities = 1 (Emidio Josias "Mido" Macia)

| perps = *Meschack Malele

Thamsanqa Ngema
Percy Mnisi
Bongumusa Mdluli
Sipho Ngobeni
Lungisa Gwababa
Bongane Kolisi
Linda Sololo

| verdict = All found guilty

| convictions = Murder

{{Infobox event

| title =

| child = yes

| sentence = 15 years in prison

}}

On 26 February 2013, Mido Macia, a 27-year old Mozambican immigrant, was murdered by eight police officers in the custody of the South African Police Service.{{cite news|last1=Kabizokwakhe|first1=Mzwandile|last2=Muchave|first2=Antonio|title=Farewell Mido Macia|url=http://www.sundayworld.co.za/news/2013/03/11/farewell-mido-macia|accessdate=11 April 2013|newspaper=Sunday World|date=11 March 2013}}{{cite web|last=Dlamini|first=Moses|title=IPID arrests 8 cops in connection with death of Mido Macia|url=http://politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71654?oid=362050&sn=Detail&pid=71616|publisher=politicsweb.co.za|date=4 March 2013|accessdate=26 March 2013}} He was dragged by a police vehicle in the township of Daveyton in Gauteng, South Africa, a few hours earlier. A crowd witnessed the dragging incident, one of whom filmed it. Police said Macia had caused a traffic jam and then resisted arrest. On 25 August 2015, eight former police officers were found guilty of Macia's murder in the North Gauteng High Court.{{cite news|last1=Hawker|first1=Dianne|title=All 8 Daveyton officers convicted for the murder of Mido Macia|url=https://www.enca.com/south-africa/all-8-daveyton-officers-convicted-murder-mido-macia|accessdate=27 August 2015|work=eNCA|date=25 August 2015}}

Victim

Emidio Josias "Mido" Macia (c. 1985 – 26 February 2013) was a Mozambican immigrant and taxi driver who was murdered in the custody of the South African Police Service. Mido Macia spent the first ten years of his life in Matola, Mozambique.{{cite news|last=Mapumulo|first=Zinhle|title=Mido Macia goes home|url=http://www.citypress.co.za/news/mido-macia-goes-home/|accessdate=11 April 2013|work=City Press|location=South Africa|date=10 March 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130505172523/http://www.citypress.co.za/news/mido-macia-goes-home/|archivedate=5 May 2013}} He came to South Africa seventeen years before his death. He had a wife and child and was also the legal guardian of his late brother's three children. He was described by the chair of the Benoni Taxi Association as "a very humble guy".{{cite news|title=Eight South African police arrested over death of man dragged behind van|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/mar/01/eight-south-african-police-arrested|newspaper=The Guardian|date=1 March 2013}}

Murder

According to the police, Macia had parked illegally, causing a traffic jam, and then resisted arrest. A preliminary post-mortem report released by South Africa's Independent Police Investigative Directorate indicated that Macia had died in police detention with head injuries and internal bleeding.{{cite news|title=South African policemen arrested, to face murder charges|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-safrica-police-idUSBRE9200BW20130301|work=Reuters|date=1 March 2013}} He had been dragged behind a police van, after having been handcuffed to its rear, for about 500 metres.{{cite news|title=S.Africa community mourns dragged 'Mido'|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gjtiLaB9GdnP4kGg_efbSXFAmCGw?docId=CNG.c413d29dda5f72c167fb6fae88a7bd24.9a1|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411020727/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gjtiLaB9GdnP4kGg_efbSXFAmCGw?docId=CNG.c413d29dda5f72c167fb6fae88a7bd24.9a1|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 April 2013|newspaper=AFP|date=1 March 2013}}

The eight police officers involved were suspended on 28 February and arrested the following day on suspicion of murder. They were remanded on 12 March.

Originally scheduled for court Monday, 4 March 2013, the defendants did not appear, and court was cleared. The hearing was rescheduled pending an identity parade.{{cite news|title=South Africa police dragging death case postponed|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21651104|accessdate=27 August 2015|work=BBC News Africa|date=4 March 2013}} On 12 March, they were all denied bail, partly for their own protection. At this hearing, it was suggested by the prosecution that Macia had died from being beaten once inside the police station.{{cite news|title=Macia: South Africa police accused denied bail|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21761515|accessdate=27 August 2015|publisher=BBC News|date=12 March 2013}}

On 25 August 2015, all eight former police officers were found guilty of murder in the North Gauteng High Court. They were each sentenced to 15 years in prison.{{cite web|title=Daveyton 8 sentenced to 15 years each for Macia killing|url=https://www.enca.com/south-africa/daveyton-8-sentenced-15-years-each-macia-killing}}