S-African prosecutors formulate last arguments in Albert Luthuli death inquest
(MENAFN) South African prosecutors have been given four months to present their final arguments in the reopened inquest into the death of Nobel Peace Prize laureate and anti-apartheid icon, Inkosi Albert Luthuli. The case, overseen by Judge Nompumelelo Radebe, seeks to determine whether Luthuli was killed by apartheid forces rather than being struck by a train, as concluded in the original 1969 inquest.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) advocates – Ncedile Dunywa, Annah Chuene, Siyabonga Ngcobo, and Xolani Msimango – wrapped up leading witness testimony on June 11. Since the inquest began at the Pietermaritzburg High Court on April 14, a range of witnesses have testified, including members of the South African Police Service (SAPS), forensic and scene reconstruction experts, DPCI investigators, anti-apartheid activists, Luthuli’s family, and former Justice Minister Jeff Radebe.
The court has now postponed proceedings to October 13, with closing arguments due by October 16. In a related case, the inquest into the 1981 murder of anti-apartheid lawyer Griffiths Mxenge was also postponed to October 9 due to delays in assigning legal representation to former apartheid police officers implicated in his death.
Luthuli, president-general of the ANC and Africa’s first Nobel Peace Prize winner, died at age 69 on July 21, 1967, shortly after being found with serious head and body injuries on a railway bridge near his sugarcane farm. While the official inquiry claimed he was hit by a train, doubts have persisted for decades.
The NPA argued that the original 1969 inquest, led by Magistrate C.I. Boswell, was flawed and aimed at shielding perpetrators. Boswell had allegedly pre-empted the outcome, indicating it would be ruled accidental even before evidence was reviewed. His correspondence dated August 4, 1967, stated he did not expect any finding other than accidental death.
New testimonies presented to Judge Radebe suggest foul play. Experts argued that Luthuli may have been attacked, and Sibongile Mnyandu-Nzimande, chair of the National Archives Advisory Council, testified that a relative witnessed white men beating Luthuli near the bridge. That relative later disappeared after being taken by police.
The inquest also raised concerns about the care Luthuli received at Stanger Hospital, suggesting he may not have received proper medical attention that could have saved his life.
The reopened investigation reflects ongoing efforts to address historical injustices and uncover the truth about the deaths of key anti-apartheid figures.
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