WATCH: Charges against me part of an agenda, claims Napoleon Webster

Published Jun 29, 2018

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Marikana - Marikana housing activist and Forum 4 Service Delivery Councillor Napoleon Webster on Friday said he believes he was arrested in an attempt to kill activism in Marikana near Rustenburg in North West.

Webster and 13 men were arrested in connection with the brutal murder of Sabata Petros Chale in Marikana West on December 8, 2016.

Chale, 39, was killed allegedly by a group of armed men over the allocation of low cost houses (RDP) in Phase 2, Marikana West.

The charges against Webster, Mdlondozi Fundiwo, Aphindile Pungone, Nkululeko Msithwa, Nkosindiphile Nziyose and Sivuyile Qasha were withdrawn on May 22, after the State conceded it had no case against them.

Webster was also cleared from a charge of escaping from lawful custody at the Bafokeng Magistrate's Court in Tlhabane on June 26.

Marikana housing activist, Napoleon Webster believes he was arrested for political reason. He denied killing a man and drink his blood in Marikana near Rustenburg in North West. Video: Molaole Montsho/ANA

Marikana housing activist, Napoleon Webster believes he was arrested for political reason. He denied killing a man and drink his blood in Marikana near Rustenburg in North West.

Video: Molaole Montsho/ANA

"I am happy that it has been proven that this is in fact a political agenda to try and kill activism in Marikana and to try to kill all the opposing views," he said.

"The issue was about 5 500 houses Lonmin was supposed to build, they did not instead the provincial department build those houses as a cover-up for Lonmin...This is an agenda to destabilise us, this is an agenda to try and used state resources to deal with any political opposition," he said.

"If two witness lied about me why will they not lied about my co-accused?"

Webster denied that he was part of the people who attended a meeting at the police station.

"I was not at the police station, I was not at the scene of murder, I never took part in any meeting of killing I will never do that. I was at Shoprite the police failed to investigate my alibi entirely so that I could rot in prison..." he said.

He denied drinking Chale's blood. An eyewitness had told court she saw men dipping their fingers in Chale's blood and licked their fingers others scooped his blood with containers and drank it. She claimed Webster was amongst the group.

The remaining eight -- Aubrey Seitsang, Sibonile Sobopha, Herbert Baqhesi, William Nyenyane, Samson Gqwetani, Gift Luveli, Luvo Soyizwaphi and Mzolisi Mbulana are standing trial in the North West high court sitting in Mogwase. They trial would resumed on July 23.

African News Agency (ANA) 

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