Victim's family in tears as murder accused freed

RELATIVES of slain Humansdorp taxi driver Kosie Chiga broke down in the Port Elizabeth High Court yesterday when one of the men accused of his murder was found not guilty on all charges and discharged.

Four of Chiga's six sisters were present in court when Acting Judge Richard Brooks delivered his ruling on an application for the discharge of Dial Kettledas, 53, in terms of Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act.

Brooks agreed with the submissions of Kettledas's defence advocate, Charl van Rooyen, that the state had not produced enough evidence to ensure his conviction.

Kettledas, also of Humansdorp, was found not guilty on all five counts: kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, murder and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.

His co-accused, Deveron Whitebooi, 27, had pleaded guilty to the charges but the state rejected his plea explanation on a factual basis, seeking to prove that Whitebooi and Kettledas had acted in common cause to commit the offences. - Lee-Anne Butler