Sindiso Magaqa trial postponed to April
Three of the four accused appeared in court without representation, which led to the judge's postponement.
All the three accused Sbonelo Myeza, 39, Mbulelo Mbofana, 34, and Mxolisi Ncalene appears at the Umzimkhulu Magistrate’s Court. Each faced one count of murder and two of attempted murder of councillor Sindiso Magaqa. Picture: Motshwari Mofokeng / African News Agency (ANA)
The men accused of killing ANC youth league secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa will have to wait until next year to hear their fate as their trial has been postponed to April 14 in the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
The matter was heard in the High Court in Scottsburgh, where Sibusiso Ncengwa, Sbonelo Myeza, Mbulelo Mpofana, and Mlungisi Ncalane appeared before the judge.
Three of the four appeared without their representation, which led to the judge postponing the matter to next year.
The trial is expected to run from April 14 to May 20, 2020. It was expected to kick off on Monday and continue until November 8.
Former policemen, Myeza, Ncalane, and businessman Mbulelo Mpofana were denied bail in May as they failed to prove exceptional circumstances to warrant their release while facing charges of murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit crimes.
The state has alleged that the three conspired to hire hitmen Jabulani Mdunge and Sibusiso Malusi Ncengwa to carry out the assassination.
Magaqa, who was a PR councillor at uMzimkhulu Local Municipality at the time of his death, was ambushed while with colleagues Nontsikelelo Mafa and Jabu Msiya in July 2017.
Mafa and Msiya survived the attack but Magaqa died two months later in hospital from complications due to gunshot wounds. Mafa and Msiya were placed under protection.
In September 2018, Police Minister Bheki Cele announced the arrest of Ncengwa.
Myeza, Ncalane and Mpofane were initially charged alongside Harry Gwala District Municipality mayor Mluleki Ndobe and uMzimkhulu Local Municipality manager Zweliphansi Skhosana, but charges against Ndobe and Skhosana were provisionally withdrawn due to lack of evidence.
(Compiled by Gopolang Moloko, background reporting from ANA.)
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