Shabane-murders – five accused to stand trial in Middelburg
Community members rally and supported the family throughout the court case
One of the highlighted cases in eMalahleni, the province and the country was that of the kidnapping and the killing of the Shabane children.
The eyes of the country were drawn to eMalahleni when 13-year-old Gabasile Shabane and his nephew Nkosikhona Welcome Ngwenya who was 15 months were kidnapped from their home in Hlalanikahle in the still of the night.
The body of Gabasile was found in a shallow grave in Gauteng and that of Nkosikhona was retrieved from a river next to the N4 highway to Pretoria.
January 20 in 2018 will always bring sad memories to the community of eMalahleni after the kidnapping took place.
The suspects Thokozani Msibi, Themba Thubane, Knowledge Mhlanga, Brilliant Mkhize and Mfanasibile Gamedze were later arrested and appeared in court for kidnapping and the murder of the two children.
Others cases were housebreaking with intent to commit the crimes of murder and pointing of a firearm, violation of a corpse has also been added to the charges.
Community members rally and supported the family throughout the court case.
Awareness campaigns were held; dialogue as well as marches to make people aware of the daily dangers that people with albinism had to endure.
The five accused will stand trial at the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court from May 25 to June 12.
They were denied bail and are kept in custody, 34 state witnesses have also been lined up and are ready for the trial.
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