The Piet Retief Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga has heard that one of the people who were murdered on a farm in Mkhondo was shot in the head while they were lying on the ground.
Five suspects accused of killing two farm dwellers, Zenzele and Amos Coka, appeared in court on Tuesday. Four of the suspects were arrested shortly after the alleged incident last week.
The investigating officer in the case, Vukile Nhlapho, says the suspects should not be granted bail. He alleges that they interfered with the investigation by refusing to hand over firearms on the scene. He claims that the firearms were collected by the police from the houses of the suspects at a later stage.
Nhlapho further revealed that ammunition and a human tooth were found in the house of the fifth suspect, Zenzele Yende.
During cross-examination, the investigator said he was aware that some farmers were also seriously injured in the incident. However, he says, he is not aware of how they were injured because the witnesses and the farmers themselves did not explain what happened to them.
EFF leader in Mpumalanga, Collen Sedibe says so far they are happy with the proceedings. “We are happy with the work done by the NPA and the investigating officer,” says Sedibe.
Founder of the You are Not Alone Foundation, Lungile Mabaso, has also commended the work done by the police. She says she is confident that the suspects will not get bail.
The case has been postponed to next Monday and the suspects will remain in custody.
Meanwhile, police used rubber bullets and stun grenades to disperse protesters outside the Magistrate’s Court. This was after some protesters threw stones at the police while the bail application was under way. Some of the protesters also vandalised a passing vehicle.
Yesterday’s developments in the case are in the video below:
