The bail application for five men accused of the murder of two businesswomen at an industrial site in Polokwane, Limpopo, has been postponed to Friday.
Thirty-five-year-old Tebogo Mphuti and 46-year-old Makoena Mabusela-Leshabane were gunned down execution style in October.
Scores of women chanted at the entrance to the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court when the five suspects appeared inside courtroom B. The five men are all facing charges of murder and conspiracy to murder. They are accused of killing Mphuti and Mabusela-Leshabane while they were on a business visit to an industrial site in Polokwane. The two women were sitting inside a car when a group of armed men allegedly started shooting towards their vehicle. Some of the events of that day were captured on CCTV footage.
The five men have tried to apply for bail, but have been kept in custody since their arrest. They were arrested in various parts of Gauteng and brought to Polokwane.
At Tuesday’s bail application, the court heard testimony from two witnesses.
One of the witnesses is related to one of the men accused of the crime. She stated that the court should not grant the five bail, as they are likely going to intimidate other witnesses.
Evidence was also heard from a psychologist who works with the police. She said that accused number five and husband of Mabusela-Leshabane is controlling and suffers from depression.
The psychologist told the court that when she examined the suspect, she made a conclusion that he was having a difficult time in prison. The matter resumes on Friday with testimony from more witnesses.
