'I cannot breathe': Shallcross man's last words before alleged police killing

FOUR months after Raj Ellapen was allegedly beaten to death by Chatsworth Crime Prevention Unit officers, his sister Jayshree Sheik continues her fight for justice.

- MONISHKA GOVENDER

With no arrests made and little support from authorities, she vows to pursue accountability despite financial and emotional challenges.

Ellapen, 46, of Shallcross, died after he was allegedly beaten to death by members of the unit, on June 2, at Jamaica Flats in Shallcross.

Sheik, 47, an online teacher, said while her brother was a recovering drug addict, he was kind and respectful.

She said on that fateful day, she went to the scene thinking Ellapen had been attacked.

"T was under the impression he had been assaulted. But when I got there, I realised there were policemen involved. I initially thought he was conscious. But when he did not wake up for about 20 minutes, I asked someone if he was dead and they replied 'yes'.

"T asked the police at the scene what had happened. The one policeman said my brother was running and he had fallen and hit his head. However, the community who had gathered at the scene, alleged that the police had killed him. That is when the policeman went silent and stopped answering my questions," claimed Sheik.