NOTE: This article first appeared on The Citizen website on November 11, 2014.
The NPA has officially withdrawn the charges against Zamokuhle Mbatha, the 25-year-old man accused of killing Senzo Meyiwa.
Mbatha had his second appearance in the Boksburg Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning and the charges of murder and robbery were dropped against him within five minutes.
State prosecutor Gertrude Market requested that Mbatha’s appearance on Tuesday took place in absentia.
It became apparent why when Magistrate Daniel Thulare accepted the State’s request to withdraw the charges.Thulare said there was not enough evidence against Mbatha to carry on with his trial.
Mbatha’s family, who filled two benches in the packed court room, were overjoyed. Lindiwe Mbatha, his sister-in-law, said: “We knew they had the wrong person. He would never do something like this”.
The family left the court in song.
Mbatha will be released from police custody and investigations into Meyiwa’s killing will continue.
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