Court postpones case of ‘Bergville mass murderer’
Bergville community members and political parties protested outside the court, saying 'no bail for the accused'
A 33-year-old man from the Bethany area of Bergville stands accused of brutally stabbing and killing five family members and injuring two others. The bloody rampage took place on Saturday night (October 12) and he was arrested by police on Sunday.
The accused, Mlamuli Khoza, appeared in the Bergville Magistrate’s Court today (October 16) for a bail application after appearing for the first time yesterday.
During the court proceedings, his lawyer told the magistrate that Khoza was in pain and not feeling well, and would like to see a doctor. The magistrate postponed the matter to October 23 to give Khoza a chance to seek medical attention. He was remanded into custody.
Family members of the deceased expressed their dissatisfaction that the court had swallowed Khoza’s lies. The accused was allegedly beaten and the family say the pain he is in is as a result of the beating, not because he is ill. Family member Xolani Mhlanga told the Estcourt News that they are not satisfied with the court decision to postpone the case. “What I know about him is that he is not mentally disturbed. He could feel some pain because he was beaten, but the case should have proceeded. We are not happy that the court allowed him to lie and we don’t want the court to grant him bail. We are also dismayed by his mother’s behaviour, showing that she takes his side. Every time this boy did wrong, his mother would take his side,” explained Mhlanga.
Mhlanga added that this is not the first time the accused has been in court for committing a crime, saying maybe this is his sixth case, including protection orders.
Original story: 5 family members brutally stabbed to death in Bergville
Khoza faces five counts of murder and two of attempted murder.
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