Late Night Talk

The inquest into the death of political prisoner Ahmed Timol will be reopened on Monday.

The anti-apartheid activist died in police custody 45 years ago.

Magistrate de Villiers, at the Johannesburg Magistrates Court, found that the probable cause of Ahmed’s death was serious brain damage and loss of blood sustained when he jumped out of a window at John Vorster Square police station.

At the time, his death was ruled a suicide and no living person was held responsible.

Members of Timol's family believe that his death was not a suicide but that he was tortured and thrown or pushed from the building.

Timol's nephew Imtiaz Cajee says the family is grateful for the chance to reverse the inquest findings, despite it being a bittersweet moment.

45 years after my uncle's death, we finally have an opportunity to present a very compelling case, to a judge in a democratic dispensation, where we will be able to reverse the inquest findings.

— Imtiaz Cajee, nephew of late anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Timol

29-year old Timol, who at the time was a school teacher at the Roodepoort Indian School, was detained with medical student Saleem Essop after being stopped at a road block in Coronationville.

Essop was tortured and eventually landed in hospital after suffering extensive injuries.

Timol's nephew says Essop's testimony will shed light on their ordeal at John Vorster Square police station and how government covered up his uncle's death.

You can be rest assured that when you hear his [Dr Saleem Essop's] version of events, one can only conclude... that it was a blatant lie and a total cover up by the State to hide torture marsk.

— Imtiaz Cajee, nephew of late anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Timol

We never believed that my uncle would have committed suicide.

— Imtiaz Cajee, nephew of late anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Timol

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This article first appeared on CapeTalk : Testimony to expose state 'cover-up' - family of political prisoner Ahmed Timol