Homeless attacks: Accused to apply for bail after 3 months behind bars

Manus Mothupi briefly appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday when the case was postponed to October 24 for the bail application.

Mothupi was arrested at the end of June.

According to the charge sheet, he faces two attempted murder charges.

The first charge stems from the attempted murder of a man who was stabbed near Magnolia Park on February 21. It is alleged that he used a butcher’s knife to stab the homeless man in the stomach, hand and left knee.

The second attempted murder charge stems from the murder of another man on March 3, also in Magnolia Park. Mothupi allegedly stabbed him in his left arm and chest, according to the charge sheet.

During a previous court appearance, it emerged that the investigation had been completed and the matter was transferred to the Pretoria Regional Court.

The police and National Prosecuting Authority have insisted that Mothupi is not connected to the murders of five homeless men, whose bodies were found in the Muckleneuk in Pretoria in June.

Five bodies found

According to police, the first of the five bodies was found in a veld near the Mears Park train station on June 1. Two more bodies were found in Magnolia Park on June 8 and 9.

A fourth body was found on a pavement on the corner of Justice Mohammed and Troye streets on June 18, and a fifth body was discovered a day later, on June 19, at a bus stop about 400m from Unisa’s main campus, also in Muckleneuk.

Police said the five victims were homeless, middle-aged men. They were all killed at night.

News24 also understands that victims were either stabbed, suffered blunt force trauma or injuries inflicted in both manners.

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