Opposition parties bemoan acquittal of Tatane cops
March 28 2013 at 04:18pm
By SAPA
By SAPA
INLSA
A video frame grab
shows Andries Tatane after he was shot during unrest in Ficksburg, Free State,
in 2011. He later died.
Johannesburg - Opposition parties
voiced disappointment at the acquittal of seven policemen in Ficksburg on
Thursday.
"Unfortunately, this sends the
message that the police can act with impunity," said Democratic Alliance
justice spokeswoman Debbie Schafer.
While the DA did not question the
judgment, which acquitted the policemen accused of killing protester Andries
Tatane, the party questioned who would be held accountable for his death.
"It would seem that the only
possible remedy may be yet another civil claim against the police
minister," Schafer said.
She said the DA would ask the National
Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to explain the difficulties it had in prosecuting
the policemen when it next appeared before the Justice Portfolio Committee.
This was in the hope of avoiding similar outcomes in future cases.
Earlier, United Democratic Movement
secretary general Bongani Msomi said the policemen's acquittal was a sad day
for justice.
"It is said that justice is blind,
but after having heard this verdict this phrase has new meaning," he said
in a statement.
"Is this a sign of the times to
come: violent individuals in our police service who violate human rights
and are not punished?"
The UDM was shocked by the ruling and
conveyed sympathy to the Tatane family, Msomi said.
Ficksburg Regional Court magistrate
Hein van Niekerk found the State could not prove its case of murder and assault
beyond reasonable doubt.
Tatane died on April 13, 2011, after
the police used rubber bullets and batons to subdue him during a service
delivery protest in Ficksburg.
The case received huge media attention
after footage of Tatane’s alleged assault by police was broadcast on
television.
The court held that Tatane was not an
innocent protester. - Sapa
