One of the men accused of the murder of farm manager, Brendin Horner, will spend the festive season behind bars following judgment in their bail application at the Senekal Magistrate’s Court in the Free State.
Sekwetje Mahlamba was denied bail, while his co-accused Sekola Matlaletsa was granted R5000 bail.
However, after his family paid bail, Matlaletsa was rearrested on another matter, involving rape, kidnapping and stock theft.
Horner’s murder case made headlines in October after farmers stormed the court building where the two men were appearing.
Free State National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phaladi Shuping says both accused are facing charges of stock theft.
Shuping says, “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.”
File video: One of two men accused of Senekal farm murder granted bail:
EFF
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. 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.
When the pair accused of the farmer’s murder first appeared, proceedings at the Senekal Magistrate’s Court were disrupted by angry farmers who damaged, overturned and burned a police vehicle inside the courtyard.
