The State has withdrawn the business robbery charges against Cape Town’s “most wanted man”, Yanga ‘Bara’ Nyalara, setting him free.
The Brown’s Farm resident had been behind bars for over two years.
He was arrested on 1 July 2022 following the 12 murders in Site B, Khayelitsha in 2021. Police then slapped him with six more murder charges after a mass killing in Site C.
After his arrest, Site C residents protested for his release and said he protected them from criminals.
In August Nyalara and co-accused Wanda Tofile were acquitted due to conflicting statements from the State’s only surviving witness.
On Tuesday, Nyalara appeared in the Cape Town Regional Court, where the state withdrew charges of business robbery and illegal possession of firearm and ammunition against him.
Nyalara’s lawyer Phindile Vepile said: “The matter appeared on 26 November 2024 at the Regional Court in Cape Town. It was on the roll for trial. The prosecutor informed the court that the complainants in the matter were no longer cooperating with the State and requested more time to persuade them to cooperate.
“The court refused to give them more time since the matter could not proceed on 11 November for the same reason. The State ended up withdrawing charges as a result.”
His co-accused Thulani Rhatisa and Julius Ket, were sentenced to 11 and seven years in jail for the same charges.
It is alleged that on 30 June 2016 he robbed an MTN store in St George’s Mall, Cape Town. He was nabbed a few hundred meters from the scene.
In his affidavit Nyalara said the state had no eyewitness placing him at the scene nor was he found in possession of a gun or the stolen goods.
“It is alleged by the State that I am linked to the scene by touch DNA. I will plead not guilty to these charges.”
Nyalara had only been convicted once in 2014, for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
He currently faces a rape and kidnapping charge in Khayelitsha for which he was granted bail. The case dates back to 2017 and he was linked by his DNA.