A South African court has reopened an inquest into the 1977 death of anti-apartheid leader Steve Biko, exactly 48 years after he died of brain injuries in police custody.
Biko, founder of the Black Consciousness Movement, was arrested on August 18, 1977, for violating his banning orders and died on September 12, 1977, allegedly due to torture by apartheid regime’s Special Branch members.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) announced the reopening of the inquest, supported by Biko’s family, to determine if his death involved any criminal act.
A previous inquest in 1977 concluded that Biko died from injuries sustained during a scuffle with officers, but the Truth and Reconciliation Commission refused amnesty to the officers involved in 1999. Two of the officers are reportedly still alive.
The NPA aims to address past atrocities and provide closure to the Biko family and society. The reopened inquest has been adjourned to November 12 for case management in the High Court of South Africa, Eastern Cape Division.
This development comes as South Africa continues to grapple with unresolved crimes from the apartheid era.
