Mayor off the hook

GEORGE NEWS - George Mayor Charles Standers will not be prosecuted by the National Prosecuting Authority.

This follows a decision taken by the director of public prosecutions (DPP) earlier this month not to prosecute Standers.

The police now consider the case complete. The case against Standers stems from an incident on 1 February, when his wife, Estie, laid a charge against her husband alleging that he had assaulted her at their home in an argument over car keys.

"The DPP refused to institute proceedings following the contents of the file. The reasons for this are unknown," said Captain Malcolm Pojie, Southern Cape Police spokesman.

The George Herald has it on good authority that Estie Standers filed a retraction statement days after the alleged incident and that this contributed to the DPP's decision not to prosecute the mayor. Shortly after the incident, Standers was suspended from all DA party activities, but his suspension was lifted last month.

DA Western Cape Communications Manager Liza Albrecht earlier confirmed that Standers's suspension has been lifted after his wife withdrew the charge of assault.

"Mrs Standers (the complainant in this case) withdrew the charge that she submitted to the police, and also refused to give a statement to the DA," said Albrecht.

"The party's Federal Law Commission therefore recommended that there is no prospect of a successful disciplinary hearing, and the suspension was lifted."

Estie did not respond to media inquiries regarding the reasons for her decision to withdraw the assault charge against her husband. The Gerorge Herald's request for comment sent to Mayor Standers was also met with a stony silence.

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