TUT student murder case postponed

The two Soshanguve policemen accused of murdering the Tshwane University of Technology student Katlego Monareng will know before the end of March this year whether their trial will be transferred to the regional or high court. The suspects made a brief appearance in the local magistrate’s court earlier on Friday. The police captain and constable were arrested and charged with Monareng’s death following  TUT Student Representative Council elections which turned violent. Both suspects are currently out on bail.

PAC supporters allegedly forced their way inside the Soshanguve Magistrate’s Court yard. Printed on the front of their green shirts was the face of Katlego Monareng. The postponement of the case sparked anger outside the court, where PAC members were locked out from court proceedings.

PAC national secretary for youth affairs Thapelo Matseba says they are disappointed that the case has been postponed. Matseba says what they demand justice for the late student’s family.

“We want to see justice taking its course obviously, one would expect government to acknowledge the fact that there is prima facie evidence. There is a water tight case against the perpetrators. We don’t want government to rule based on sentiments, based on our slogans, but we want government ethically and professionally to rule based on the evidence that’s on the table. There is a water tight case that points very clearly to those who perpetrated this barbaric murder.”

#PAC President Mr Moloto with PASMA members in Pretoria demanding justice for Katlego Andries Monareng who was murdered by the Police during Students Protest @eNCA @Powerfm987 @TheAgenda_SABC @AbongileDumako @SakinaKamwendo @SABCNewsOnline pic.twitter.com/5Dt1vYX6AD

— PAC President (Mr Moloto) (@k_narius) January 25, 2019

Meanwhile, PAC regional organiser for Tshwane Phenious Mothapo says this is a repeat of Moses Tatane’s massacre with the history turning up again and again. He says the South African Police are not trained properly and they want justice for the late TUT LLB student and his family.

“The way Katlego Monareng was shot it exactly shows the way Moses Tatane was killed. How do you carry a ruffle submission gun to a protest? This South African Police were not properly trained because my understanding is that when even someone is carrying a gun, you at a distant and you say stop put the gun down, now I don’t understand how Katlego was told how to put the laptop or a pen down.”

The two officers who have not yet pleaded but are out on bail and will appear in the Magistrate’s Court on the 29th March.  – Additional reporting by Clement Malhangu and Lindokuhle Dladla.