Orlando Pirates Has Pleaded Not Guilty to Charges of TS Galaxy Chairmain Tim Sukazi's Assault Last Month

• Orlando Pirates has pleaded not guilty to charges of assault levelled against the club by the Premier Soccer League
• This was after TS Galaxy Tim Sukazi was seen being manhandled by club security refusing him entry into Orlando Stadium before a match
• According to PSL prosecutor Zola Majavu, the matter has been postponed to the middle of February

Orlando Pirates has responded to assault charges brought against them by the Premier Soccer League, pleading not guilty.

PSL prosecutor Zola Majavu revealed this last night, having levelled the charges against the Buccaneers last week Tuesday. This was on the back of Sukazi being denied entry into Orlando Stadium in December before an Orlando Pirates-TS Galaxy clash.

Sukazi was seen being manhandled by stadium security in tweeted video from his club, as reported on KickOff. According to another KickOff report, PSL chief operating officer Ronnie Schloss said that Sukazi had been denied entry because he had not followed proper Covid-19 protocols required to be given access to the field.

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Quoted in the Daily Sun, Majavu said:

"Charges were put to Orlando Pirates to which they pleaded not guilty. The matter had to be postponed to 15 February for evidence to be led. One of the main witnesses of Orlando Pirates is out of the country on CAF business, and under the circumstances, the committee deemed it prudent to grant a postponement to 15 February when the matter will hopefully proceed to be finalised.

"Once it is finalised, I will give a further update on the outcome, therefore."

Orlando Pirates' Thandi Merafe arrested and released after TS Galaxy debacle

The matter of Tim Sukazi's assault is proving to be a messy one for Orlando Pirates, having also turned into a criminal investigation.

As reported on Sports Brief, club media officer Thandi Merafe was arrested and charged for common assault in the aftermath of the drama ahead of the Buccaneers' clash against TS Galaxy last month.

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Merafe, who was released on free bail after her arrest, was accused of slapping her TS Galaxy counterpart Minenhle Mkhize in the run-up to the moment Galaxy owner Tim Sukazi was manhandled and denied entry to Orlando Stadium's field and inner facilities.