Seven people accused of murdering three men in Khayelitsha are expected to go on trial in the Western Cape High Court.
|||Caep Town - Seven people accused of murdering three men in a vigilante attack in Khayelitsha are expected to go on trial in the Western Cape High Court next month.
Prosecutor Jacomiena Swart told the court on Friday the case was ready for trial as lawyers had been appointed to represent the seven and that copies of the case docket had been supplied to them.
Brothers Mziwabantu and Mzimasi Mncwengi, Mzimasi’s wife Buyelwa, Lumnko Babalaza, Xolani Makapela, Mawende Siboma and Morris Maxela are accused of killing three suspected thieves on March 14 last year.
It is also alleged that they kidnapped Luxolo Mpontshane, 25, Mabhuti Matinise, 20, and Sivuyile Rola, 28, and tortured them for nine hours after the three allegedly broke into Mziwabantu’s home and stole a television set.
Their bodies were dumped among the sand dunes in Macassar and found by a policeman who was patrolling the area.
During Mziwabantu Mncwengi’s bail application in the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court in April last year he denied taking part.
He said an angry mob was responsible for the murders and he was not responsible or involved in the killing.
He testified that he searched for the suspected thieves and took them to his house to get them to show him how they had entered his property.
Around the same time a large group gathered outside his house and started assaulting the men. “I tried my best to stop the people but they were unstoppable,” Mncwengi said at the time.
The prosecution put to Mngcwengi that blood was found on his pants.
“Yes (there was blood) because I was intervening when the community assaulted the men.
“What was I supposed to do when they were unstoppable?” he asked.
Mncwengi testified that he had left the premises and gone to the nearby taxi rank because he owned one of the taxis.
The seven are expected to plead to the charges on August 12.
jade.otto@inl.co.za
Cape Argus