Lusikisiki mass shooting suspects linked to ANC prominent politician’s murder

It has emerged that the Lusikisiki mass shooting suspects are linked to the murder of a prominent ANC member in the OR Tambo region in the Eastern Cape.

The seven accused returned to the dock in the Lusikisiki Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday after abandoning their bail applications.

The accused—Mzukisi Ndamase, 46, Siphosoxolo Myekethe, 45, Aphiwe “AP” Ndende, 25, Lwando Antony Abi, 33, Bonga Hintsa, 31, Zenande Paya, 38, and Mawethu Nomdlembu, 36—are facing multiple charges, including murder and possession of unlicenced firearms and ammunition.

Lusikisiki mass shooting mastermind requests denied

During court proceedings, Ndamase, the alleged mastermind of the Lusikisiki massacre, proceeded to conduct his own defence and requested the court to withdraw the murder charges against him.

Ndamase said that he has been in prison since 2007 and has never been out.

However, senior prosecutor Nkululeko Mathenjwa said the accused seven’s utterances were nothing new to the state.

He said the prosecution was ready to proceed to trial.

“We know what he’s talking about. And in the true legal sense of the word, it seems as if he’s making representations. I can inform the court now that his representations are not successful. The state is going to proceed,” Mathenjwa said.

The prosecution informed the court that the defence has been furnished with docket contents.

The case was subsequently transferred to the Lusikisiki Regional Court, where the trial will take place between 17 and 28 February 2025.

Meanwhile, Ndamase is set to return to court on 12 December.

According to the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) Eastern Cape spokesperson Luxolo Tyali, this was for Ndamase to indicate if he had gone through the docket contents and whether he would be ready with his defence on the set trial date.

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Lusikisiki mass shooting accused abandon bail

In previous court appearance, all suspects elected to abandon their bail applications and face 18 charges, including murder and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

The first suspect, Makayethe, was arrested at his home in Mthimde Location, Mamfengwini Area, on 7 October.

While his co-accused Ndende and Hintsa were arrested in Port Shepstone, and Abi was taken into custody in East London on 16 October.

Additionally, Paya and Nomdlwembu were arrested in Flagstaff on 17 October.

These arrests were subsequent to a shooting incident on 28 September 2024, at two neighbouring homesteads in Ngobozana Village near Lusikisiki.

The shooting left eighteen people dead and five others injured.

ALSO READ: Lusikisiki shooting suspect was out on parole despite murder conviction

19th count of murder revealed

Moreover, the seven suspects are facing a 19th count of murder.

In a subsequent development, Eastern Cape police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli had previously confirmed that three suspects, aged between 25 and 46, were linked to ANC member Mncedisi Gijana’s murder and were due to appear in the KwaBhaca magistrate’s court.

“Due to the sensitive nature of the case, police will not release much information at this stage,” Nkohli told The Citizen.

However, on Tuesday, Tyali confirmed to The Citizen that the Lusikisiki mass shooters were linked to Gijana’s death.

Gijana, known as “Sncane,” was accosted and shot outside his homestead in KwaBhaca, Eastern Cape, on 19 August.

According to reports, Gijana, 58, returned home and was confronted by the attackers.

While the exact sequence of events remains unclear, gunshots were heard, and Gijana’s lifeless body was later discovered in one of the outside flats.

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