Assault charges against Mail & Guardian photographer Oupa Nkosi have been withdrawn as a result of insufficient evidence.
Nkosi appeared in the Mogwase Magistrates court on Thursday morning where he was to face charges laid by three members of the Bakubung community in Ledig in the North West: Mary Diale, Thabo Letshwiti and Peggy Pilane.
The charges originated in October last year, when Nkosi and journalist Ilham Rawoot were working on a story about tribal politics in the village. Nkosi was attacked by Diale, Letshwiti, Pilane and another man while taking photographs of the village.
Diale and Pilane threw rocks at Nkosi and at his camera and the unknown man grasped him around the neck. When Nkosi and Rawoot arrived at the Sun City police station, they found that the perpetrators were already there and were laying a charge of assault against Nkosi.
The police subsequently claimed to have lost Nkosi’s docket. But with the charges now dropped, Nkosi is a relieved man.
“I’m happy that eventually the truth came out that I never assaulted these women,” says Nkosi. “On the contrary, they were the ones who assaulted me. Now they have to face the might of the law.”
Nkosi has relaid charges of assault and malicious damage to property against those involved in the attack.