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Biko
[bee-koh]
noun
Stephen Bantu Steve, 1946–77, South African antiapartheid activist killed in police custody.
Biko
/ ˈbiːkəʊ /
noun
Steven Bantu , known as Steve . 1946–77, Black South African civil rights leader: founder of the South African Students Organization. His death in police custody caused worldwide concern
Example Sentences
A son of prominent South African anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko has told the BBC the family is confident a new inquest into his death 48 years ago will lead to the prosecution of those responsible.
"It's very clear in our minds as to what happened and how they killed Steve Biko," he told the BBC after the first hearing was held at the High Court in the southern city of Gqeberha - on the 48th anniversary of his father's death.
It is alleged that Biko, who had been subject to a "banning order" that restricted his movements and other activities at the time of his arrest in 1977, was tortured by five policemen while in detention.
"What is required from this process is simply to follow the facts, and we have no doubt that a democratic court, in a democratic state, will find that Steve Biko's murder was an act, orchestrated and executed by those who were with him - the five policemen who are implicated in this case," his son said.
Biko's death caused outrage in South Africa and was the subject of the 1987 Hollywood film Cry Freedom, starring Denzel Washington.
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