Co-accused turn on teen’s alleged ‘blesser’
PLEASE tell him to tell these people the truth before we all go to jail for a crime we did not commit.
This was the plea made by one of the four men accused of killing 15-year-old Keleabetswe Seleka. The four appeared in the Atteridgeville Magistrate’s Court in Pretoria yesterday.
John Lebuku, 30appeared for a bail alongside three co-accused Leshilo Mashau, 32, Tebogo Mabolane, 26, and Eugene Machete, 24.
They were denied bail after they failed to show exceptional circumstances.
Mabolane made his final appeal to the court asking Lebuku to tell the truth about how he killed Seleka on his own before they all had to suffer for something they did not do.
Seleka was reported missing on November 28 after allegedly going to meet Lebuku, who apparently posed as a “blesser”. She had been strangled after being poisoned.
In their applications the four said they had children who needed financial support and their incarceration would be prejudicial to their children’s well-being.
“All of you said you had children to support but the investigating officer has informed this court that that was not true. Only the first accused has a son, not even the two as he had initially said.
“The last accused’s information that he has a medical condition due to a prior operation is also hard to believe as he failed to inform the court of this issue during his previous appearances,” said magistrate S Hitchcock.
Hitchcock said the men had also deceived the court on their employment status.
She said the last accused had also not told the court about all his previous convictions – he mentioned two while he had five.
Hitchcock also noted as the three co-accused were denying their involvement in the kidnapping and murder of the teenager, Lebuku would have to be kept at a separate facility.
It was ordered Lebuku be accommodated at a correctional facility in Hammanskraal and be transported for appearances for his own safety.
The matter was postponed to February 24 for further investigation.
Mabolane asked Lebuku to tell the truth about how he killed teenager