Nearly five decades after his brutal killing in police custody, South African authorities have reopened the investigation into the death of anti-apartheid leader Steve Biko.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said in a statement on Wednesday that the purpose of the renewed probe is “to lay before the court evidence that will enable the court to make a finding, as to whether the death was brought about by any act, or omission, which prima facie involves or amounts, to an offence on the part of any person.”
Stephen Bantu Biko, widely known as the founder of the grassroots Black Consciousness Movement, was a fearless voice against apartheid.
He was only 30 when he was detained in August 1977 and held in Pretoria. Within a month, he succumbed to massive brain injuries after being beaten into a coma by police officers inside his cell.
His death not only shocked South Africa but also drew global outrage. Over the last 48 years, Biko has remained a powerful symbol of Black liberation and the anti-apartheid struggle.
At the time, a 1977 inquiry exonerated the police, and prosecutors refused to bring any charges against those responsible.
