Durban — Three men charged with the alleged murder of one of three suspected Savannah Park mass shooters walked into the courtroom of the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court under the guard of six police officials, four of whom were heavily armed on Monday.
The three men, their attorney, State Prosecutor, as well as the presiding Magistrate will not be named for their safety.
This as last year, there was an attempt on the lives of two of the accused while they were at the Pinetown Police Station.
They are charged with the alleged murder of Siphamandla Hadebe,24, who was allegedly gunned down in broad daylight in full view of about 18 people in Wyebank just five days after being released on R8 000 bail.
Hadebe and his co-accused, Njabulo Mchunu, 31, and Comfort Ngubo, 22, were granted bail on 16 August, charged with possession of a firearm without a license as well as ammunition.
The three were said to have been linked to a mass shooting in Savannah Park.
On the day of the alleged mass shooting, gunmen opened fire at Siqhopholozi tuck shop, killing tuck shop owner Bhekumuzi Mzobe, his nephews Siboniso Mzobe and Sanele Khenisa, as well as Phumlani Mpithimpithi, Sphamandla Shezi, and Siyakudumisa Mtshengu.
A seventh person also died later in the hospital.
Initially, only two of the men had been charged with Hadebe’s murder, and in October, they were released on R20 000 bail each.
In December, a third accused, after being granted bail of R10 000 bail, joined them.
When the three entered the courtroom, six officers walked in with them, three in uniform clad in protective gear and heavily armed, while one was in civilian clothes. There were also two others in civilian clothes with no visible weapons on them.
On the last occasion that the three were in court, their matter was adjourned for further investigation.
After hearing from the State and defence, the court adjourned the case to April to now sit in the regional court and no longer in the district court.
The three men appear a day ahead of Mchunu and Ngubo’s appearance in court.
On the last occasion that the pair were in court, the State had indicated that the ballistics reports were finally complete.
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