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Compensation for wrongful arrest

The High Court in Pretoria has ordered the police minister to pay R171,000 to an innocent Standerton technician who spent Christmas 2009 in jail

Richard Lephoto was arrested in December 2009, after he reported his girlfriend Jane Tsotetsi missing.

Her body was subsequently found in a donga, and police suspected Lephoto of the murder.

He was locked up in the Sakhile police cells in Standerton from December 22 to 29, 2009.

During this time Lephoto’s infant daughter died, and the police refused him permission to attend the child’s funeral.

The murder charge was later withdrawn, as no evidence could be found linking him with the crime.

During the hearing on Tuesday, the court also ordered the police minister to pay Lephoto’s legal costs.

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