The murder case against former North West Deputy Police Commissioner William Mpembe and eight other police officials have been postponed to September 14 by the North West High Court, sitting in Mogwase.
They appeared briefly to face four counts of murder, six of attempted murder, and defeating the ends of justice.
Mpembe was the police’s operational commander present in Marikana during August 13, 2012 when police and mineworkers clashed near Lonmin’s Karee shaft.
Mpembe on the day had given workers an ultimatum that they should disperse and not march to the nearby Wonderkop. When they refused he ordered that teargas and stunt grenades be fired.
According to the state’s submissions this led to the attack between the two groups.
Three mineworkers and two police officials were killed and another police official seriously injured. Mpembe is further charged with contraventions of the Commissions Act.
This because he gave false evidence before the Marikana Commission of Inquiry where he, among others, denied that he had given instructions that police shoot at striking mineworkers.
The case has been postponed for council to continue further consultations and arrange the trial date.
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