Africa-Press – South-Africa. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says it knows nothing about reports claiming that witnesses who had earlier implicated former Mpumalanga MEC Mandla Msibi in a murder had withdrawn their statements.
News reports on Thursday stated that two witnesses had filed affidavits withdrawing their earlier statements, which had implicated Msibi in a shooting incident in which two people died in Mbombela in August 2021.
Msibi faces murder and attempted murder charges, along with five other people, in connection with the shooting incident.
He has denied involvement in the shooting and has alleged that the charges were politically motivated.
On Friday, NPA Mpumalanga spokesperson Monica Nyuswa told News24 the NPA knew nothing about affidavits filed by witnesses.
Nyuswa said:
During Msibi’s last court appearance in February, his lawyer told the court that two witnesses planned to withdraw their initial statements implicating Msibi in the shooting.
At the time, the NPA had said that the withdrawals would have little impact on the case as the State had a strong case against the accused, media reports stated.
The case was transferred to the Mpumalanga High Court in Mbombela, and the trial was set for 5 to 15 September 2022.
Msibi is out on R20 000 bail.
The former MEC had to step aside from his role as Mpumalanga agriculture MEC following the charges. This was part of the ANC’s step-aside resolution.
He was again asked to step aside following his fresh election as treasurer of the ANC in Mpumalanga earlier this month.
Delegates elected Msibi at the ANC Mpumalanga conference despite the serious criminal charges against him.
The move had raised concern with the ANC’s national leadership.
In a letter sent by ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile, Msibi was asked not to take up his role days after he was elected.
This murder trial will be Msibi’s second brush with the law. He was previously charged and later acquitted on 10 charges, including damage to property and assault.
He argued that those charges were also politically motivated. He was acquitted in July 2021.
For More News And Analysis About South-Africa Follow Africa-Press
