Bail hearing for two slain ANC councillors to be heard in Mokopane court on Monday

The state and the defence in the double murder case of two African National Congress (ANC) leaders in Mokopane, Limpopo, will present mitigating and aggravating factors, in the bail application of two of the four accused in the Mokopane magistrate’s court on Monday.

Jabu Mashamaite and James Chuma have been applying for bail since their arrest two months ago. The other two accused Samuel Mokonyane and Nkholo Mangana abandoned their bail application.

The four face murder and conspiracy to murder charges relating to the fatal shooting of ANC Mogalakwena councillor Valtyn Kekana, and party member Ralph Kanyane in 2019.  Kekana and Kanyane were shot and killed while sitting in a vehicle in Mokopane two years ago, in what is suspected to be politically motivated killings.

The pair were activists who were believed to possess evidence of corruption at the Mogalakwena municipality.

On Friday, State prosecutor Calvin Chauke, told the court that there’s evidence that Valtyn Kekana was prevented from tabling a report on corruption in the Mogalakwena local municipality – the same day he was gunned down.

Accused number two, meanwhile, has told the court that police should have questioned people who were mentioned as suspects during the funeral service of Vaaltyn Kekana and Ralph Kanyane.

Politically motivated killings

In his bid to get bail, Mashamaite told the court that he believes that Kekana killing was politically motivated. He has said that a faction of ANC had wanted councillor Kekana to be the mayor of Mogalakwena municipality to replace the former mayor Andrina Matsemela.

Mashamaite also said he supported a faction which wanted Kekana to be the mayor. He further said he had worked closely with Kanyane because they formed a force of change initiative together in order to bring changes in the Mogalakwena local municipality. He said Kanyane was a coordinator of the initiative.

Prosecutor Calvin Chauke said when the trial starts the state will produce evidence that Kekana’s killing emanated from the MPAC report on corruption and finances of the municipality, that he was about to release.

Reaction to the murders of ANC members 24 July 2019: