Public anger has erupted in South Africa after prosecutors withdrew murder charges against Adrian de Wet, one of three men accused in a gruesome 2024 killing, in exchange for his testimony as a state witness.
De Wet, a farm supervisor, was among those charged over the deaths of two Black women who were allegedly shot by farm owner Zachariah Johannes Olivier in Limpopo province before their bodies were fed to pigs.
The victims were reportedly searching for food when they were killed.
According to the BBC, De Wet will testify that Olivier ordered him to dispose of the bodies in the pigsty. Another farm worker, who has yet to enter a plea, is also implicated.
Relatives of the victims have condemned the decision to release De Wet, calling it a denial of justice. The case has stirred national outrage, reigniting debate over racial inequality in South Africa, where the white minority owns most private farmland and many Black laborers work for low wages.
The trial, which began on Monday, will continue on October 6.
