A Johannesburg man might never forget the 26 days he spent in a filthy jail cell but at least he has been given some cash to deal with the trauma.
Vincent Mathiso experienced the cruel ordeal when police officers descended on his home and started accusing him of abusing his girlfriend.
This came out of the blue as he had never laid hands on the woman. He was immidiately arrested and whisked to prison despite denying the allegations.
Mathiso said on the day in question he had walked on his live in girlfriend in the company of another man.
When he asked her about it, she said it was her brother. Mathiso had a quarrel with the woman and the man, who later turned out to be a police officer, had him arrested.
He said he had now lost respect in his community as people have started labelling him as an abuser.
He has also lost his job.
The Johannesburg High Court ordered the SAPS to pay him R350 000. He had initially demanded R950 000 damages.
