South Africa prosecutor withdraws murder charges against striking miners

The Jurist

A South African prosecutor on Monday announced that the government had withdrawn murder charges against 270 miners who were participating in a strike when police officers shot and killed 34 participants. The miners were charged with murder last week under an old South African law that deems the striking miners as complicit [Reuters report] in their co-workers' deaths. Acting national director of prosecutions Nomgcobo Jiba said that her office withdrew the murder charges on Sunday, but noted that the charges could be reintroduced if the investigation revealed further evidence.