Marikana Massacre Latest: Top cop cleared of charges
Top police brass have been cleared of charges in relation to the death in custody of a miner during the Marikana Massacre.
Former North West Deputy-Provincial Commissioner, General Mzondase Mpembe, and his three co-accused have this week been cleared of charges related to the death of a miner during the Marikana massacre in the North West High Court.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) North West Division spokesperson Henry Mamothame said the NPA had noted the judgment and was in the process of studying it before making any further decisions.
“The National Prosecuting Authority has noted the judgement of the High Court of South Africa, North West Division which acquitted the former North West Deputy-Provincial Commissioner, General Mzondase Mpembe, and his three co-accused,” Mamothame said.
“The NPA will study the judgment in order to make an informed decisions after the court found the four policemen not guilty of the three charges they were facing relating to the death of a miner in Marikana.”
“The four senior police officers faced a charge of defeating and obstructing the ends of justice by allegedly concealing information on circumstances surrounding the death of Modisaotsile
Sagalala who died in a police canter when striking miners participated in a wage strike on 16 August 2012,” he said.
Modisaotsile said that Mpenbe and his three co-accused had also been acquitted on charges of contravening the Independent Police Investigating Directorate (IPID) Act by not reporting the death of a miner in police custody. The were also cleared of the charge of contravening the Commission‘s Act by not disclosing in their report that Modisaotsile Segalala had died in police custody.
Police killed 34 miners during the Marikana Massacre after the miners had embarked on strike action, demanding a wage increase and highlighting the poor working and living and work conditions that they were facing together with their families at the mine.
