Defence agrees to transfer of two suspects in Lusikisiki massacre case

Two suspects arrested in connection with the Lusikisiki massacre in the Eastern Cape will join their co-accused in a different court.

Zenande Paya, 38, and Mawethu Nomdlembu, 36, made their first appearance at the Flagstaff Magistrate’s Court on Monday after being apprehended on Friday.

Authorities discovered Paya and Nomdlembu in possession of four firearms believed to have been used in the Lusikisiki mass shooting.

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The suspects face multiple charges, including four counts of unlawful possession of firearms — three AK-47 assault rifles and a Steyr 243 rifle — along with 82 live rounds of ammunition.

The firearms were sent for ballistics testing to confirm whether they were used in the crime and to identify any other crime scenes they may be connected to, according to the South African Police Service (Saps).

Suspects to be joined to Lusikisiki massacre case

In Monday’s proceedings, the prosecutor confirmed that the men would later face murder charges and requested that the case be transferred to the Lusikisiki Magistrate’s Court.

“The reason for the transfer is that both accused, the firearms in question have been linked to a murder case at Lusikisiki.

“The state intends to proceed in terms of Section 157 of the Criminal Procedure Act that is to join these two accused to the five that are already appearing in the Lusikisiki and they will be arraigned with 18 counts of murder as well.

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“I, therefore, propose for the sake of practicality that the issues of bail be dealt with in Lusikisiki court,” he said.

The defence did not oppose the state’s application.

The prosecutor requested a postponement to 24 October, citing his unavailability over the next two days.

“I think that will also give my learned friend enough time to get the file transferred to Lusikisiki.”

Lusikisiki massacre arrests

Last week, three suspects – Aphiwe Ndende, 25, Lwando Anthony Abi, 33, and Bongo Hintsa, 31 – abandoned their bail applications in the Lusikisiki Magistrate’s Court.

The accused are charged with 18 counts of murder and one count of possession of an unlicensed firearm, an AK47 assault rifle. 

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Ndende and Hintsa were arrested in Port Shepstone in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), while Abi was apprehended in East London last Wednesday.

The first accused, Siphosoxolo Myekethe, 45, was arrested at his home in Mthimde, Lusikisiki, on 7 October.

Their arrest comes after the shooting that occurred on 28 September 2024, at two neighbouring homesteads in Ngobozana Village near the town of Lusikisiki, where eighteen people were killed, and five others were injured.

The suspects will return to court on 26 November after the matter was postponed for further investigations.

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