Media owner and wife will go to court for 'assault'‚ despite dropping charges - NPA

The media personality and owner who was arrested with his wife after they opened cases of assault against each other will appear in court on Monday‚ regardless of their decision to withdraw the charges.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said the prosecutor assigned to the case refused to have it withdrawn. "The seriousness of the injuries sustained by both of them made her decide that the matter should appear in court‚" said Mjonondwane.

She stressed that this was because the NPA viewed domestic violence cases "very seriously and believed it was in the interest of justice" for them to appear in court.

The couple had earlier on Monday said in a statement that they had decided to resolve the matter privately.

Mjonondwane said the couple's withdrawal statements had been added to the docket. It will now rest in the hands of the magistrate as to whether the case would be withdrawn.

The couple is still scheduled to appear before the Randburg Magistrate's Court on Monday.

Police spokesman Captain Kay Makhubele earlier confirmed that the couple had opened cases of assault against each other on Saturday night.

TimesLIVE has elected not to name the couple as the charges relate to domestic violence.