Phoenix unrest trial: Investigating officer reprimanded for ‘unprepared’ evidence
A police officer has told the Durban High Court how several cases arising from the July 2021 Phoenix violence were withdrawn, finalised or remain before the court.
The Durban High Court heard the trial of four accused individuals in connection with the July 2021 unrest incidents in Phoenix, South Africa. Sergeant Mkhaliphi Cele, the investigating officer, testified about the arrest of 10 people initially in connection with the attacks on black people, with the case against Preshan Naidoo, the son of the lead accused Ravine Naidoo, ultimately being withdrawn after the implicated witness could not be traced.
The trial involved charges against the four accused, including the murder of Njabulo Allen Dlamini, attempted murders of Nkosikhona Madlala and Sandile Colin Sambo, public violence, and malicious damage to property. The unrest, which lasted eight days and resulted in 258 deaths in KwaZulu-Natal, also caused an estimated R50 billion in economic damage nationally.
Brief written by urgent.news from IOL's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
