Victim's father: Police acted criminally

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DAVEYTON, South Africa, March 8 (UPI) -- Police officers accused of dragging a man behind their van in Daveyton, South Africa, committed a crime and "need to be taught a lesson," the man's father said.

Nine South African officers were in court Friday to face murder charges in the incident, CNN reported.

A cellphone video last month showed Mido Macia, a cab driver from Mozambique, talking with South Africa Police Service officers, who then handcuffed him to the back of a police van, which drove off, dragging Macia behind it as officers and bystanders ran alongside. Macia died Feb. 26 in police custody hours after the incident, officials said.

It is unclear what prompted the altercation.

"I was shocked when I heard what happened and saw the video," his father, Joseph Macia, told CNN Friday. "What the cops did was not justice, it was a crime. The cops need to be taught a lesson."

His son's body was being shipped to Maputo, Mozambique's capital, for a funeral Saturday.

South African officials vowed justice for Macia, CNN said.

"South African Police Service [officers] are required to operate within the confines of the law in executing their duties," President Jacob Zuma said. "The visuals of the incident are horrific, disturbing and unacceptable. No human being should be treated in that manner."

CNN said it wasn't clear how many officers were involved in the incident.

"We are shocked by this incident," said Moses Dlamini, a spokesman for the Police Investigative Directorate, an independent government agency that investigates possible crimes by police.

However, he said, the acts of a few don't reflect the comportment of the majority of officers.

"There are many other officers who are dedicated, who uphold the law and arrest criminals all the time," Dlamini said.