I was never a murderer, says police minister

Police Minister Nathi Nhleko briefs the media. Picture: Phill Magakoe

Police Minister Nathi Nhleko briefs the media. Picture: Phill Magakoe

Published Oct 21, 2016

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Johannesburg – The Minister of Police Nkosinathi Nhleko on Thursday distanced himself from a person with a similar name who was accused of murder decades ago and written about by retired Deputy Chief Justice Judge Moseneke in his book titled ‘My Own Liberator’.

In his recently published memoirs the liberation struggle stalwart mentions a certain young activist named Nkosinathi Nhleko. Moseneke writes that he represented this young activist in a politically-motivated murder trial in the 80s.

The activist had led the necklacing of a 78-year-old resident and traditional healer in a tiny Eastern Cape township near Queenstown.

“Since the current Minister of Police Nkosinathi Nhleko shares both a first and last name with the person mentioned in the book, a wrong impression has been created in some reader’s minds that he is the person in question,” said a statement issued on Thursday on behalf of the police minister.

“In the wake of many inquiries that Minister Nhleko is receiving, he wishes to categorically distance himself from the person and incidents contained in the book by the former deputy chief justice.”

The police minister said: “I would like to place it on record that I have never murdered anyone, nor been convicted of murder nor lived in Queenstown. I am definitely not the person Judge Moseneke writes about.”

Nonetheless, Nhleko said he “wishes Moseneke all the success with his memoirs, and his future personal endeavours”.

African News Agency

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