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JOHANNESBURG. — Nigerians who accused police of killing one of their countrymen in Kempton Park want their own post-mortem conducted on him, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) said yesterday.

“The post-mortem is supposed to be conducted today (yesterday), but it will all depend on whether the Nigerian nationals are able to secure a pathologist today (yesterday),” Ipid spokesperson Robbie Raburabu said.

The man began convulsing and died in the back of a police van after police arrested him on Saturday. Police said he choked on what they suspected were drugs he was trying to conceal when officers wanted to search him.

The man’s friends alleged police used a plastic bag to suffocate him.

Ipid would wait for the post-mortem results before determining whether any action would be taken against the police officers.

The friends of the deceased man had not come forward to make statements, Raburabu said. Ipid hoped to obtain statements during the course of the day.

Following the man’s death a group of people, mostly foreigners, clashed with police outside the Arwyp Medical Centre in Kempton Park.

“They said the police were killing their people and this was not the first time. They prevented the forensic vehicle from leaving the area,” said Raburabu.

Several people were injured when police used rubber bullets and teargas to disperse the crowd. — News24.