A former worker at the Catholic mission in Windhoek, Thomas SAGARIAS, was seriously injured during a police raid on the mission hostel and had to have his right kidney removed. Sagarias, who had worked for the mission as a gardener, told the Windhoek Advertiser that he was kicked by a member of the police. He was discovered lying, semi-conscious, on the stairs at the hostel and was rushed to hospital with a ruptured kidney and other injuries. Sagarias also told the newspaper that he was summarily dismissed from his job.
The incident allegedly took place when police searched the mission premises for 'illegal residents', and Sagarias was asked to accompany a police officer to the workers' quarters to identify those who were employees. According to Sagarias, he was tripped and kicked by the police officer on the way to the workers' quarters. Both the police officer and Sagarias' employer who accompanied them denied that the incident took place (WA 21.4.83; FOCUS 46 p.3).
