A former North West deputy police commissioner and five other police officers have appeared at the Mahikeng high court on Monday on several charges, including murder and defeating the ends of justice relating to the Marikana massacre.
Gen Mzondase William Mpembe appeared in court on Monday alongside Col Salmon Vermaak, Const Nkosana Mguye and warrant officers Collin Mogale, Joseph Sekgwetla and Khazamola Makhubela.
The six are facing five counts of murder, attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice and contravening the Commissions Act by giving false information to the Farlam commission of inquiry into the Marikana massacre.
“Several key witnesses have already testified when the matter appeared at the high court in October 2020. Among those were a crime scene expert from the SAPS, a CCTV operator from Lonmin mines and a videographer from the SAPS,” said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Henry Mamothame.
The case is set to continue until Friday and the state is expected to call more witnesses during the course of the trial, Mamothame said.
Mpembe, Brig Jacobus van Zyl, Brig Dingaan Madoda and Lt-Col Oupa Pule were facing charges in the high court in the North West relating to the death in police custody of Modisaotsile Sagalala.
The charges were defeating the ends of justice for allegedly concealing information around Sagalala's death, and contravention of the Ipid Act and the Commissions Act for not reporting a death in police custody.
The charges against all of them were withdrawn.
TimesLIVE
Former police general, five officers in court on Marikana massacre charges
Image: Daniel Born
A former North West deputy police commissioner and five other police officers have appeared at the Mahikeng high court on Monday on several charges, including murder and defeating the ends of justice relating to the Marikana massacre.
Gen Mzondase William Mpembe appeared in court on Monday alongside Col Salmon Vermaak, Const Nkosana Mguye and warrant officers Collin Mogale, Joseph Sekgwetla and Khazamola Makhubela.
The six are facing five counts of murder, attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice and contravening the Commissions Act by giving false information to the Farlam commission of inquiry into the Marikana massacre.
“Several key witnesses have already testified when the matter appeared at the high court in October 2020. Among those were a crime scene expert from the SAPS, a CCTV operator from Lonmin mines and a videographer from the SAPS,” said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Henry Mamothame.
The case is set to continue until Friday and the state is expected to call more witnesses during the course of the trial, Mamothame said.
Mpembe, Brig Jacobus van Zyl, Brig Dingaan Madoda and Lt-Col Oupa Pule were facing charges in the high court in the North West relating to the death in police custody of Modisaotsile Sagalala.
The charges were defeating the ends of justice for allegedly concealing information around Sagalala's death, and contravention of the Ipid Act and the Commissions Act for not reporting a death in police custody.
The charges against all of them were withdrawn.
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