GQEBERHA - Former apartheid-era police officer Daniel Siebert claimed Steve Biko was aggressive during his detention.
Siebert testified virtually at the Gqeberha High Court on Friday, at the reopened inquest into the 1977 death of the anti-apartheid activist.
"On the said date, the deceased was brought from the police station where he was detained to the offices of the security branch in the Sanlam building in PE ( Port Elizabeth) for the purposes of questioning.
"The deceased was, according to my recollection, aggressive and reluctant and refused to answer pertinent questions," Siebert said.
Siebert is one of only two surviving Security Branch officers who witnessed Biko's death.
But as his evidence is being heard, Biko family saed the reopened inquest is moving ahead before it has had enough time to prepare.
This has led the family to challenge the process in court by filing a formal application for the proceedings to be temporarily stopped.
In court, Biko’s son, Nkosinathi Biko, said they have repeatedly raised concerns about the timing of the proceedings.
"I think it's clear from the proceedings of today the point we have been raising consistently that it would be best for this court to give itself the time to get all the relevant material, including the investigation process, completed before it hears this matter.
"And I think we are on record as to the struggles that we have encountered to have that point registered,” he said.
With the legal process underway, Nkosinathi said the family would continue to attend proceedings
“We continue to be in this court because, of course, we cannot disrespect a court. We will await the judge to excuse us from this process. And you will have seen from the tactics that have been played that the parties of interest in this matter are awaiting the opportunity for us to have abandoned this. We are not,” he said.
Nkosinathi said he notes Siebert, but said the family would have preferred him to appear in person to face them the same way he faced Biko.
The inquest has been postponed to Monday.