Former security branch officer details ‘quick confession’ from Aggett
The inquest into the death of Neil Aggett heard how a former state security branch police officer managed to obtain information from the anti-apartheid activist in a mere six hours.
Nick Deetlefs told the High Court in Johannesburg that he tortured the former unionist for six hours in order to force him to divulge information he had been keeping to himself for months.
The inquest was reopened in an attempt to piece together the final moments of the activist’s life.
Aggett’s family has poured scorn on a finding by an apartheid-era inquest that he committed suicide while in custody at the notorious John Vorster Square, now known at Johannesburg Central Police Station.
“You said you achieved in six hours what Lieutenant Steve Whitehead could not achieve in three months. So you were under pressure to get results?” he was asked by the state advocate Jabulani Mlotshwa.
“That is correct my lord,” admitted Deetlefs.
Aggett was detained together with his wife in November of 1981. The original inquest found that he died by hanging himself.
Deetlefs denied that he was known as a notorious interrogator among his colleagues for subjecting detainees to severe torture.
He was one of the security branch officers who interrogated Aggett during his time at the notorious John Vorster Square.