The South African Police Service, Public Order Unit, who are deployed in Matatiele to monitor the protest action fumbled to stick charges against the leaders of the protesters. A docket was rejected by the public prosecutor twice, saying that the docket will not stand the test of time before the magistrate court. In an separate interview with lawyers representing Teboho Stemere and his co accused, Tseliso Moletsane of Moletsane and Associate, described the police who dealt with the matter as people who had no clue or hint of their job. He said, how on earth, that police would charge suspects with public violence whereas they were in a meeting with them at the Municipal boardroom. Some other protesters were doing their fracas outside then instead of police dealing with such violence they opted to arrested those in a meeting with them. Where is public violence there? asked Moletsane. He further said a case docket was then returned back for correction and thereupon that took police two days for rectification which was the expiry of 48hrs which then forced them to release the suspects. Moletsane said another suspect who was shot by police with rubber bullets and then arrested was charged with attempted murder. Even that one could not stick. Police were trying to create malicious charges against my clients,” said Moletsane. Some of the police who talked to The Informer said they were implementing a court order applied for by the Municipality from the High Court. Commenting on this Moletsane said the suspects were never served with court order. He said he is going to have a meeting with his clients to see if they can sue the state for wrongful arrest.
