The High Court in Bloemfontein has dismissed the application for leave to appeal the decision not to grant one of the accused in the murder of farm manager Brendin Horner bail. Sekwetje Mahlamba wants the decision of the Senekal Magistrate’s Court overturned.
Mahlamba and his co-accused Sekola Matlaletsa are charged with the murder of Horner.
Magistrate Deon van Rooyen denied Mahlamba bail and granted Matlaletsa bail of R5 000. However, after his family paid the bail, Matlaletsa was rearrested on another matter, involving rape, kidnapping and stock theft.
Court delivers bail judgment for accused in Senekal murder:
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phaladi Shuping says the high court decided it is not in the best interest of justice to grant Mahlamba bail.
“The high court concurred with the decision of the Senekal Magistrate’s Court where they were saying it is not in the best interest of justice to release Sekwetje Mahlamba on bail. So they dismissed his application for leave to appeal. So it’s a decision that is welcomed as the NPA because we still maintain that he’s not a candidate for bail.”
Last week, the NPA said both accused are facing charges of stock theft.
“Sekola Matlaletsa appeared before the Senekal Magistrate’s Court after he brought the application to be released on bail. He was denied bail on the charge of stock theft and then he decided to abandon bail on the charges of two counts of rape and two of kidnapping. The case was postponed to 22 January 2021, where he will appear together with Sekwetje Mahlamba and they will also face a charge of murder,” adds Shuping.
In October, thousands of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) members descended to the town during the appearance of the two men accused of involvement in the murder. This after farmers went on the rampage and stormed the local magistrate’s court, where two men appeared briefly in connection with the murder.
Minister Ronald Lamola condemns violent protest by farmers in Senekal:
The farmers also torched a police vehicle.
Addressing the members outside court, leader Julius Malema appealed to members to face racism toe-to-toe. He downplayed farm murders, saying the whole situation has been racialised.
Julius Malema addresses EFF supporters in Senekal:
