The legal team representing former apartheid-era police officer, Joao Rodrigues, says they will await a directive from the Constitutional Court relating to the case against him.
Rodrigues, who was charged with the murder of anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Timol has died at his Pretoria home. The 82-year old had been in and out of court since 2018.
Timol died after falling from the 10th floor of the John Vorster Square police station in 1971. An inquest at the time found that he committed suicide.
However, a 2017 inquest by Judge Billy Mothle led to Rodrigues being charged. He had approached the Constitutional Court to challenge the constitutionality of being charged for a crime allegedly committed over 40 years ago.
“Though Mr Rodrigues has passed away, and the criminal case could not proceed, it is possible that the other matter. We were successful for the leave to appeal in the Constitutional Court and we are now waiting for the Constitutional Court to give directives,” says Ben Minnaar, Rodrigues Legal Counsel.
VIDEO: Timol family still demand justice after former apartheid security police officer Joao Rodrigues dies
