Inquest finds Timol was 'brutally murdered'
The High Court in Pretoria has ruled that anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Timol did not commit suicide, but was brutally murdered by police.
Judge Billy Mothle delivered judgement on Thursday morning.
Ahmed Timol, a 29-year-old campaigner against white-minority rule, was arrested in Johannesburg and after five days in detention he died after plummeting from the city's police headquarters.
Officers at the time said he took his own life -- a verdict endorsed by an inquest.
But his family fought the ruling and have campaigned hard to secure the review that finally began in June.
Mothle ruled that Timol did not commit suicide, but was pushed from the notorious John Vorster Square police building in October 1971.
"Timol did not jump out of a window but was either pushed out of the window of Room 10-26 or from the roof of the John Vorster Square building.
"He did not commit suicide but was murdered."
Mothle says Timol was assaulted and tortured by the security branch from the moment of his arrest until the day of his death.
"Most of the main perpetrators this court would have recommended for investigation and possible charges have since passed on.
"The security branch involved in the interrogation of Timol who inflicted the injuries through systematic and continious torture - they intentionally and unlawfully applied brutal methods."