The Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) said on Thursday it would open criminal cases against two people who failed to honour a subpoena in a case of land theft against them.

Rain Moreko, a retired police officer, and Hosi Theo Mnisi of the Mnisi Traditional Council were accused by the late James Dibuseng Mogakane of unlawfully dispossessing his family of its land. He laid the complaint in October last year.

“Following unsuccessful attempts to obtain responses from Mr Moreko and the Mnisi Traditional Council to the allegations made by the late Mr Mogakane, subpoena proceedings were duly instituted against Mr Moreko and Hosi Mnisi.

“Notices of these proceedings were duly served on Mr Moreko and Hosi Mnisi on October 22 and 23, 2019, respectively,” said Eric Mokonyama, SAHRC Mpumalanga manager.

Despite efforts to secure their attendance at the subpoena proceedings, neither Moreko nor Mnisi appeared on Thursday.

Because of this, the SAHRC said, criminal proceedings would be instituted against Moreko and Mnisi.

Mokonyama said the failure to comply with the subpoena notices “make them guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine or imprisonment not exceeding six months”.