Presidential pardon for #FeesMustFall activist?

Justice Minister, Ronald Lomala says his department is in the process of assisting #FeesMustFall activist Knaya Cekeshe withan application to get a presidentpardon from Presidnet Cyril Ramaphosa, following the dismissal of his bid to appeal his conviction and 8 year sentence.

Making his ruling at the Johannesburg Magistrate Court, Magistrate Theuns Carstens acknowledged that Cekeshe was indeed tricked into a plea that there were discrepancies in the charge sheet, and that the applicant did not have a fair trial as the previous counsel was incompetent, Cekeshe removed behind bars. Shortly after the court made its ruling on Monday afternoon.

Lamola took to Twitter to share the news, saying that the Department of Justice and Correctional Services notes the dismissal of both the leave to appeal and bail for #FeesMustFall activists Kanya Cekeshe.

Lamola said they are in the process to award Cekeshe with a presidential pardon "We're in the process of urgently assisting him with an application for a presidential pardon or other legally available avenues" Lamola tweeted. 

Magistrate Carsten said that the law was clear that once it it establishes that a person knowingly took part in a disturbance, which endangered public peace, it was unnecessary to prove a particular act of violence was committed.

Cekeshe was convicted of public violence and malicious damage to property after he tried to set a police van alight during the protests. He's currently serving in Leeuwkop Correctional Services in Bryanston.

#FeesMustFall

Done By

Mitchum George