Senekal murder accused to appeal bail refusal

One of the suspects in the murder of farmer Brendin Horner has filed court papers to appeal the Senekal Magistrate’s Court decision to refuse his bail application.

Advocate Joseph Kgoelenya confirmed to OFM News that the matter would soon be heard in the Bloemfontein High Court. Kgoelenya previously said Magistrate Deon van Rooyen had erred in his decision to refuse bail for murder accused Sekwetje Mahlamba (31), citing a prima facie case following strings of alleged credible statements from state witnesses who implicated him in the murder of Horner.

Magistrate Van Rooyen denied Mahlamba bail despite outstanding DNA results which could link or distance him and his co-accused, Sekola Matlaletsa (44), from the matter. He did, however, grant Matlaletsa bail of R5000.

Evidence, such as blood-stained trousers, was allegedly found and confiscated in Mahlamba’s home, which he shares with his brother.

Kgoelenya, however, brushed off the alleged evidence and said by no means did it implicate his client because it had not been proven who the blood belonged to.

State witness and leading investigator, Captain Pieter Myburgh, previously told Magistrate Van Rooyen that – according to witnesses – Mahlamba and co-accused Matlaletsa were heard bragging at a local tavern in Fateng-Tse-Ntsho, about how they assaulted a white man who was giving them problems.

Advocate Machini Motloung ridiculed this particular evidence and it was unreliable, given the type of environment a tavern was. Mahlamba was also allegedly seen with the deceased’s wallet at the tavern before their arrest on 3 October.

According to a witness, Mahlamba – in the company of Matlaletsa and a third unidentified man – were seen descending from behind the mountains from the direction where the attack on Horner had taken place at the De Rust farm.

His clothes were allegedly bloodstained. Furthermore, the DNA analyses of the bloodstains found in Horner’s bakkie, which were conducted at a private lab, were inconclusive.

This article originally appeared on OFM News and has been republished with permission.

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