Deacon murders: four suspects remanded in custody

POLOKWANE – The cases against the accused in the Deacon murders was postponed by the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 25 September.

Sophie Mmako (51), Lazarus Mahlo (41),  Advance Amid (30) and Casper Mudau (35) each face two counts of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances. 

The suspects are set to appear again in the same court on 7 October for a formal bail application.

POLOKWANE – Sophie Mmako (51) and her boyfriend, Lazarus Mahlo (41) will join co-accused, Advance Amid (30) and Casper Mudau (35) in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court for the murder of local Ocean Basket owner, Lizette Deacon, and her mother, Hettie two weeks ago.

Mmako and Mahlo were arrested last Friday in Polokwane and Thembisa, respectively, and face two counts of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and kidnapping. Amid and Mudau were arrested on Sunday, 13 September in Mookgophong and Polokwane, respectively and face charges of murder, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and a charge of contravening the the Immigration Act. A charge of kidnapping will in all likelihood be added.

The deceased were attacked in their townhouse in Welgelegen on 10 September, their bodies were found in the back of Lizette’s vehicle after police gave chase and the driver of the vehicle abandoned it next to the R37 road. The bodies also had several stab wounds. The latest investigations show that both women died of strangulation.

Police have in the meantime offered a R250 000 reward to anyone who has valuable information that can lead to the arrest and subsequent conviction of Owen Setsiba/Makutara/Mbedzi (pictured below).

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Owen, a Zimbabwean national, can contact Lieutenant Colonel Richard Boshomane at 079 894 5501 or Sergeant Phaladi Makola at 082 749 2233 or the Crime Stop number 0860010111.