Answers sought from Taegrin prosecutor

A metro policeman (L) keeps an eye on angry Reiger Park residents demanding answers about why charges against an accused man in the Taegrin Morris case were dropped at the Boksburg Magistrate's Court on Friday, 14 November 2014. The court withdrew charges against Thamsanqa Twala, who was accused of being involved in the death of Morris. The four-year-old died when his parents' Volkswagen Golf was hijacked in Reiger Park, on the East Rand, in July. Three men approached the car in which Morris, his sister and parents were travelling and ordered the family out.The boy was caught in his seatbelt and dragged along the road as the hijackers drove off. The car was abandoned in Boksburg.Picture: Werner Beukes/SAPA

A metro policeman (L) keeps an eye on angry Reiger Park residents demanding answers about why charges against an accused man in the Taegrin Morris case were dropped at the Boksburg Magistrate's Court on Friday, 14 November 2014. The court withdrew charges against Thamsanqa Twala, who was accused of being involved in the death of Morris. The four-year-old died when his parents' Volkswagen Golf was hijacked in Reiger Park, on the East Rand, in July. Three men approached the car in which Morris, his sister and parents were travelling and ordered the family out.The boy was caught in his seatbelt and dragged along the road as the hijackers drove off. The car was abandoned in Boksburg.Picture: Werner Beukes/SAPA

Published Nov 19, 2014

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Johannesburg - The prosecutor who withdrew charges against Taegrin Morris's alleged killer must explain his decision, Gauteng police commissioner Lesetja Mothiba said on Wednesday.

“I wanted him here to tell us why the case was withdrawn,” he told reporters on the sidelines of an event marking International Men's Day in Reiger Park, on the East Rand.

Last week, the Boksburg Magistrate's Court withdrew all charges against Thamsanqa Twala, who was accused of involvement in the death of four-year-old Morris during a hijacking.

Mothiba said the senior prosecutor had stated the charges were withdrawn because police had not followed procedure. It was not clear which procedures were not followed.

Mothiba said Morris's mother Chantel was the only witness in the case and had identified Twala during an identity parade.

“The police did their job. We picked the best detectives for this case. The prosecutor was happy after the first appearance in court,” Mothiba said.

Twala had been arrested for another hijacking case, he said.

“This case was never about the quality of the investigation. We have raised this matter with the directorate of public prosecutions... everything is possible from now on,” he said.

The National Prosecuting Authority had not responded to requests for comment by mid-afternoon

Morris was killed when his parents' Volkswagen Golf was hijacked in Reiger Park in July. Three men approached the car in which Morris, his sister and parents were travelling, and ordered the family out.

The boy was caught in his seatbelt and was dragged along the road as the hijackers drove off. The car was abandoned in Boksburg.

Morris's father Alwin Morris was at the event, as was Cuburne Lavone van Wyk's father Elroy Peterson.

Three-year-old Van Wyk went missing from his parents' home in Reiger Park on August 6. Workers found his burnt body at a nearby mine dump four days later.

Van Wyk's alleged killer Nathaniel Katlego Mpoku, 25, appeared in the Boksburg Magistrate's Court on October 31. The case was postponed to December 10.

Sapa

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