Court orders Mbalula‚ municipality to pay R1.5m for wrongful arrest

Police Minister Fikile Mbalula and the King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality in the Eastern Cape were on Tuesday ordered by the Mthatha High Court to pay damages of R1‚515‚000 plus interest for the unlawful arrest and detention of 14 people‚ one of them EFF MP Fana Mokoena.

The group initially sued the municipality (first respondent) and the Minister of Police (second respondent) for R11.9–million.

The Dispatch reported in 2015 that EFF member of parliament Fana Mokoena‚ the EFF’s OR Tambo interim regional coordinator‚ Mbuyisi Mgibisa‚ and party’s KSD ward 7 leader‚ Sisa Xundu‚ were arrested and accused of defeating the ends of justice. Other residents of KwaRay informal settlement‚ now called Maiden Farm‚ were arrested for land invasion.

The judge ordered the King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality to pay 11 plaintiffs R60‚000 each‚ Mgibisa and Xundu R70‚000 each and Makoena R85‚000.

- DispatchLIVE