The murder case against former policeman Sgt Nditsheni Lefty Mphephu was struck off the roll last Friday (5 October), much to the frustration and disappointment of Makwarela residents.
Mphephu appeared in the Thohoyandou Magistrate's Court, facing charges related to the murder of his landlord's son. The incident occurred in Makwarela in November 2023.
Tate Muthige was shot dead at his home, allegedly after reprimanding Mphephu for making loud noise. Muthige had earlier complained to Mphephu about the loud music he was playing in his car while students were preparing for their final examinations.
Mphephu was arrested shortly after the incident and spent the next seven months in jail, awaiting the court hearing. He was released on bail on 8 July this year, with strict conditions, and bail was set at R20,000.
When Mphephu appeared in court last Friday, the magistrate ruled that the case be struck off the roll because of the unavailability of ballistic test results.
Mphephu's release has not been well received by the community where the incident took place. Community leader Mr Tovhowani Seemise from the Makwarela Community Patrol Group said the decision to strike the case off the roll had come as a complete surprise.
"The case is crystal clear. It was premeditated murder. Imagine a person, a policeman no less, pumping six bullets into the deceased. We are deeply disappointed, and I can tell you, we were shocked when the announcement was made. I felt the pain of the deceased's father, who sat in court for nearly an hour, stunned. We are not going to let this case disappear. As a community, we have decided to march to the court to urge them to reinstate the case as a matter of urgency," he said.
Seemise added that the march was planned for 18 October, and they are appealing to other organisations to join and support their cause.