Legal representative Joseph Kgoelenya for Sekwetje Mahlamba and Sekola Matlaletsa, the two accused in the murder of Brendin Horner, says new evidence presented in court has proven that they have been falsely accused of the brutal murder of the farm manager.
DNA test analysis has failed to link Matlaletsa and Mahlamba to the murder. The two have been in custody since October.
Horner was strangled to death on a farm in Paul Roux in the Free State. Matlaletsa and Mahlamba appeared briefly in the Senekal Magistrate’s court.
Kgoelenya says the DNA tests are bad news for the state.
“In fact, our take is that it even weakens the state case because now they relied on the DNA tests to see if number 1 will be linked and it came and excluded them there’s one aspect. That is the basis why we want to proceed on bail on new facts. This matter was supposed to be transferred to High Court today but due to issues of jurisdiction, we have to sort out the bail here because the bail application started here. Once that has been finalised then it could be transferred to Bethlehem High Court. Our view is that the state has a mountain to climb when the matter will be in Bethlehem because the only thing that they have against my client, accused number one is a statement of a drunkard who was in a tavern and nothing else.”
First court appearance
Their first court appearance of the accused last year turned violent when a group of farmers stormed the court building demanding that the accused be handed to them.
The farmers damaged court property, overturned and torched a police vehicle.
The case attracted the attention of diverse groups and organisations last year.
There were heightened tensions outside court between members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and farmers.
During his address outside the court at the time, EFF leader Julius Malema appealed to party members to address racism head-on.
The Afrikaner farming community on the other hand called for an end to farm killings.
Malema urged party members to fearlessly pursue the struggle for land expropriation without compensation.
