Durban – AfriForum has reported that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) informed the court that it would not continue with the prosecution of the Dundee farmer who allegedly shot dead a teenager last year.
On Tuesday morning, AfriForum said that the NPA informed the Glencoe Magistrate’s Court that it would not continue with the prosecution of Dundee farmer Garth Simpson.
Simpson, 68, was accused of killing Qiniso Dlamini, 17, who was allegedly collecting cattle belonging to his family and the community that had allegedly strayed onto Simpson’s farm in September last year.
Dlamini was shot in the abdomen and died at the scene. He was a Grade 10 pupil at Sebenzakusakhanya High School in Sithembile township, Glencoe. He had aspirations of becoming a lawyer.
Simpson was also charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm.
AfriForum said that Simpson was charged with murder after an incident in which he was attacked by a group of men on his farm. One of the men tried to take Simpson’s firearm from him when a shot went off. The attacker succumbed to his wounds.
“We’re glad that Mr Simpson will now be able to put this tragic incident behind him. Although it’s always regrettable when a life is lost, it is our opinion that Mr Simpson should never have been charged in the first place, based on the evidence at hand,” said AfriForum’s community safety spokesperson Jacques Broodryk.
In March, Simpson was granted R10 000 bail in the Glencoe Magistrate’s Court after spending six months awaiting trial.
Simpson was granted bail after AfriForum’s legal team assisted him in his appeal. Judge Poyo Dlwati ruled that there were inaccuracies in the decision to refuse Simpson bail.
Simpson’s family was also concerned about his health.
AfriForum believed that Simpson acted in self-defence and that he was refused bail due to political interference in the case. AfriForum previously announced that it would provide Simpson with legal assistance because it seemed that Simpson had a good defence and that without proper legal assistance he could fall victim to race-based accusations and political interference.
Daily News