South Africa drops murder charges
SOUTH Africa says controversial murder charges against 270 miners over the deaths of fellow workers shot by police will be provisionally dropped.
Following a public furore, acting national director of prosecutions Nomgcobo Jiba said that after having sought an explanation from the department's lead prosecutors, she had taken the decision to review the charge.
"The murder charge against the current 270 suspects, which was provisional anyway, will be formally withdrawn provisionally in court on their next court appearance," Jiba told reporters on Sunday.
A final decision would be taken on the charges after a series of investigations into the shootings, which left 34 miners dead, had delivered their findings.
They include a judicial commission of inquiry appointed by President Jacob Zuma, which has until January to present its findings.
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