POV e-files: 53rd Anniversary: AHMED TIMOL

Ahmed Timol, died on 27 October 1971, four days after being arrested at a police roadblock. In Timol’s case, as with the others, inquests were held to rubber-stamp the police version of the death. According to police, Timol committed suicide by jumping out of a 10th floor window at John Vorster Square. Other deaths in detention were ascribed to “accidents” such as slipping in the shower…Those who knew Ahmed Timol, and knew of the barbarism of apartheid police torturers, strongly believed the police version was a lie. Over 21 years ago, Timol’s nephew, Imtiaz Ahmed Cajee, began researching his uncle’s death. He produced a book, Timol: Quest for Justice, and was the driving force behind the production of a documentary and exhibition of the same theme. Phemelo speaks to Mohammad Timol about his brother's life.