News / Africa
Murder charges against SA miners dropped
02 Sep 2012 at 12:51hrs | Views
South Africa's public prosecution agency have provisionally dropped murder charges brought against 270 miners for the killing of their colleagues shot dead by police, its chief said.
"The murder charge against the current 270 suspects, which was provisional anyway, will be formally withdrawn provisionally in court on their next court appearance," acting national director of prosecutions Nomgcobo Jibo told a news conference on Sunday.
She said other charges including public violence would remain.
The August 16 shootings by police killed 34 miners and wounded 78 in the worst display of state violence since apartheid ended in 1994.
Sunday's announcement follows a barrage of criticism from political parties, trade unions, civil society and legal experts.
"The murder charge against the current 270 suspects, which was provisional anyway, will be formally withdrawn provisionally in court on their next court appearance," acting national director of prosecutions Nomgcobo Jibo told a news conference on Sunday.
The August 16 shootings by police killed 34 miners and wounded 78 in the worst display of state violence since apartheid ended in 1994.
Sunday's announcement follows a barrage of criticism from political parties, trade unions, civil society and legal experts.
Source - AlJazeera
