The Premier Soccer League has announced Orlando Pirates have pleaded not guilty on the charges over the stadium incident involving TS Galaxy.
This has been confirmed by the PSL prosecutor Zola Majavu, who also stated the matter has been postponed to February 15.
A brawl, captured on video, occurred between TS Galaxy chairman Tim Sukazi, his club’s officials and Pirates security personnel including media officer Thandi Merafe at Orlando Stadium on December 11.
This was after the Sukazi was allegedly denied entry to the field and Galaxy’s media officer Minenhle Mkhize alleged that he was slapped in the face by Merafe, who is currently on a Caf assignment at the ongoing 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
“Charges were formally put to Orlando Pirates, to which they pleaded not guilty, the matter had to be postponed to 15 February for evidence to be led, one of the main witnesses for Orlando Pirates is out of the country on Caf business,” Majavu said on Wednesday night.
“Under the circumstances, the committee deemed it prudent to grant a postponement to the 15th of February where the matter will be resumed and hopefully proceed to be finalised. Once it’s finalised I’ll give a further update of the outcome thereof.”
Following the much-publicized incident, Mkhize decided to open a case of assault against Merafe at Orlando Police Station and she was indeed arrested, charged and released on free bail without being detained.
However, the duo seems to have made peace as the police have now revealed that Merafe will not be prosecuted after prosecutors dropped a common assault charge.
This is after Pirates countered with one of their security officials opening an assault case against an unnamed Galaxy official according to Times Live.
“Both dockets are closed and finalised,” Nomvula Mbense from Orlando Police told Times LIVE.
“Cas 436/01/2021 is closed undetected. There was no prospect of a successful prosecution in the case of Cas 173/12/2021.”
