The bail application of the four accused, who allegedly shot and killed two African National Congress (ANC) leaders from the Mogalakwena Municipality, has been postponed to Thursday at the Mokopane Magistrate’s Court in Limpopo.
The accused face charges relating to the alleged 2019 fatal shooting of ANC councillor Vaaltyn Kekana and ANC Youth League sub-regional secretary Ralph Kanyane.
The two were gunned down while sitting inside a vehicle in Mokopane two years ago in what is suspected to be politically motivated killings.
Two groups of Mokopane residents chanted outside the local magistrate’s court where the four accused were applying for bail.
The accused, Jabu Mashamaite, Mswazi Chuma, Samuel Mokonyana and Nkholo Mangadi face two counts of murder and one of conspiracy to murder for the killing that is believed to be politically motivated.
Roads leading to the court were cordoned off. On one part of the barricades, a group calling for the release of the accused sang struggle songs.
They were holding placards that called for the accused to be freed. On the other side of the barricades, a group of residents also chanted, calling for the accused to be denied bail. They also had petitions with hundreds of signatures that were later handed to court.
Two of the accused, Samuel Mokonyana and Nkholo Mangadi, however, told the court that they will no longer be proceeding with their bail application. According to the investigating officer, the two are believed to be the gunmen who fired the fatal shots.
Lawyers representing the other accused, Jabu Mashamaite and Mswazi Chuma read out affidavits in court, requesting that they be released on bail. In the affidavits, the pair denied any knowledge of the crime. They both told the court that they intend to plead not guilty.
The state then called the investigating officer, detective Muhamad Salim Wahab to the stand to oppose bail. Wahab testified that they had video footage and cell-phones mapping record that placed the accused at a venue where a witness says the plot to kill the pair was made as well as at the scene of the crime.
SAPS senior officer major general Samuel Manala says they have a tight case against the accused.
“As far as we are concerned we are ready, the indictments are ready, the investigation is complete. The matter is ready to go to trial at the high court, that cannot be ruled out, it is quite clear that the suspects were not alone, there are still other suspects that are still outstanding.”
Lawyers representing the accused are expected to continue cross-examining the investigating officer when the case resumes on Thursday.
