The bail application of the two men arrested in connection with the gruesome murder of a Vlakfontein family near Lenasia, south of Johannesburg, has been adjourned to November 20.
The 27 year-old Ernest Mabaso and 61 year-old Fifita Khupe appeared in the Lenasia Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
They are facing seven counts of murder in connection with the murder of seven relatives two weeks ago.
Mabaso is facing three additional rape charges.
Accused number-two, Khupe was due to make a formal bail application on Monday morning, however his application had to be postponed after accused number one, Ernest Mabaso, indicated to the court that he now also wants to make a formal bail application.
During their previous appearance, Mabaso abandoned his bail application, without giving any reasons to the court.
His legal aid attorney then told the court that he needs more time to prepare the application as Mabaso only indicated to him this morning that he had changed his mind.
The court was packed to capacity with Vlakfontein community members, ANC Women’s League members and a large media contingent.
Suspects bail
The Gauteng Community Safety Department says it is confident that the two suspects will be denied bail next week.
Mabaso and Khupe case was postponed to the 20th of this month. The suspects are facing seven counts of murder in connection with the seven family members two weeks ago. Mabaso is facing three additional rape charges.
Gauteng Community Safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane was in court says, “I’m still confident with the things we have done in terms of investigating him; and the older man we are confident that they won’t be able to get bail.
“The crime that they have committed and it will be very stupid to release them on bail because there is a possibility that they will disappear. We do have evidence that they were physically involved in making sure those people perish so there is no way, there is no doubt they are responsible for killing those people,” Nkosi-Malobane said.
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