Court clears Napoleon Webster of murder due to lack of evidence
The case against the councillor for the F4SD in the North West was dismissed after the State conceded it did not have enough evidence linking him to Sabata Chale’s murder.
JOHANNESBURG - The North West High Court has on Tuesday acquitted Napoleon Webster and five others of the murder of Sabata Chale, who was hacked to death in Marikana two years ago.
The case against Webster - who is a councillor for the Forum 4 Service Delivery (F4SD) in the North West - was dismissed after the State conceded it did not have enough evidence linking Webster to the crime.
The Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa (SERI) represented Webster.
Attorney at the institutes Lindokuhle Mdabe said: “Mr Webster was acquitted on the basis that the State witness that came to testify against him did not have a strong case.”
The institute says Webster - who spent over 200 days in jail before he was granted bail in 2017 - will now return to his work of advocating for the rights of miners in Marikana.
(Edited by Zamangwane Shange)
