Twelve people charged with the murder of residents of Alexandra township, north of Johannesburg, are expected to apply for bail in the local magistrate’s court on Tuesday morning.
The suspects aged between 17 and 35, will be making their fourth court appearance on numerous charges including murder, attempted murder, and armed robbery.
The case has been postponed three times over the past three weeks to allow for further investigations and for their legal representatives to prepare for a possible bail application.
Alex FM DJ Joshua Mbatha and five other people were killed in separate incidents of armed robberies four weeks ago.
Fifteen others sustained gunshot wounds.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana, says, “They face two counts of murder, four of attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of suspected stolen property as well as possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.”
Mbatha’s death
On the 14th of July, Mbatha and two others were on their way home from work when they were robbed of their cellphones and shoes by a group of armed men who then fired shots.
Mbatha succumbed to a bullet wound to the chest.
Residents say 15 other people were victims of gunshots and robberies by armed groups on that night alone in Alexandra.
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