Court denies bail to men accused of killing ‘livestock thieves’ [VIDEO]

A Farm manager and three others accused of murdering two suspected livestock thieves were denied bail.

Reinhardt Steyn, Dumisani Chriswell Masilela, Stephan Wilson and Dumisani Luthuli appeared in the Middelburg magistrate’s court on Monday.

The accused are facing two counts of murder, two counts of kidnapping assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and malicious damage to property.

Watch the court denying bail to the four accused

@middelburgobserver

Magistrate Solomon Gololo denies the three men accused of killing, assaulting and burning, Thembeni Mnguni (29) and Wanda Mahlangu (21) bail. Reinhardt Steyn, Chriswell Dumisani Masilela and Dumisani Luthuli appeared in the Middelburg Magistrates Court today( 21 October 2024). Read more on the Middelburg Observer website.

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‘Burnt bodies’

It is alleged that on 24 August the accused kidnapped and assaulted three victims at Elsias farm in Laersdrift outside Middelburg, accusing them of stealing sheep. 

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said the accused allegedly drove to the village with the victims looking for the sheep.

“Upon realising that the victims were not cooperating, the accused went back with the victims to the farm.

“They allegedly assaulted them and burned their bodies before dumping their remains on R575 road, leading to N4 in Middelburg,” Nyuswa said.

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Bail denied

During proceedings on Monday, the court felt that the men failed to prove the exceptional circumstances permitting their release on bail.

Magistrate Solomon Gololo said the circumstances of the accused must be considered, but they had to show the court that their circumstances were exceptional.

The matter has been postponed  to 01 November 2024 for further investigations.

Clover judgement

In a separate matter, two former Clover employees received two life sentences each for the murder of two security guards during an industrial protest.

The duo were handed an additional six years with their sentences, at the High Court in Johannesburg, on Monday.

Mohale Cleta Shokane, 34, and Vusimuzi Makula Duuba, 38, were found guilty of murdering Terence Tegg and Joao Jesus Cassanga.

They were also guilty of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and malicious damage to property.

The  incident occurred during an industrial protest by Clover South Africa employees on 17 February 2022.

Additional reporting by Nicholas Zaal

ALSO READ: Former Clover employees sentenced for murdering security guards