Former Mpumalanga MEC for Agriculture, Mandla Msibi, is expected to appear in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday morning. Msibi and two co-accused are facing two counts of murder and one of count of attempted murder.
The 45-year-old former MEC has been charged alongside Joseph Ngwenya and Tshepo Matsane in the fatal shooting of Sindela Lubisi and Dingane Ngwenya as well as injuring of Sifiso Mpila in August last year at a local Shisa Nyama in Mbombela.
Last week, the Nelspruit Court postponed the matter to Tuesday to afford the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) time to finalise its charge sheet against the trio.
Msibi and his co-accused are currently out on R20 000 bail each.
The Mbombela Magistrate’s Court grants bail to former MEC Mandla Msibi:
Msibi has maintained that the charges are politically motivated as he gunning to contest a position in the provincial structure. All the accused have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
Msibi fired
Last year, Msibi was fired after he handed himself over to police and appeared in court.
Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane said the decision to relieve the former MEC had been due to the seriousness of the charges that he is facing.
Mtsweni-Tsipane was quick to point out, “Whilst I release MEC Msibi from his role and responsibilities, I wish to emphasize and accordingly observe the two basic pillars of our jurisprudence: the right to be presumed innocent until proven otherwise, and the right to equality before the law.”
