Tshayina murder accused drop bail bid
Residents of Tshayina village near Mthatha erupted in song and ululation as five men accused of gunning down a tavern owner, a traditional leader and his daughter abandoned their bid for bail.
They were outside the court from 8.30am on Monday chanting “No bail!” for the men accused of impersonating police officers and shooting the three.
Sibusiso Jamta, 29, Lindi Ntshinka, 39, Afikile Mankomo, 25, Mawande Msongelwa, 24, and Mawabo Mendu, 39, elected to abandon their bid for bail in the Bhityi magistrate’s court during a brief appearance before magistrate Sibusiso Xolo.
Subheadman Mthandazeli Sigaba, 69, his daughter Thandiswa Jafta, 44, and Sanele Qwase were gunned down inside Qwase’s tavern in the village on May 17 by six men.
The case has been postponed several times to allow the accused to obtain legal representation. But on Monday when it was time to start bail proceedings, attorney Sithembele Tutu, representing Mendu, told the court there were new developments and Mendu was abandoning his application for bail.
Thanduxolo Qina, Ntshinka’s attorney, said his client was abandoning bail because of loose ends. Legal aid attorney Siyabulela Maqungu said the remaining accused were also abandoning bail.
The five are charged with three murders, attempted murder, house robbery, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, possession of vehicles suspected to be stolen, and impersonating police officers.
Jamta, Ntshinka and Mankomo were the first to be arrested in Cala and Ngcobo a few days after the murders which left villagers fearing for their lives.
Msongelwa and Mendu were arrested in East London three weeks later.
Two heavily armed tactical response officers stood guard inside the court along with court orderlies. Singing from scores of residents and relatives of the victims outside the court echoed inside the court during the proceedings.
Mkhuseli Sigaba, whose uncle and cousin were killed, said they were happy the accused had dropped their bail bid.
“That is what we wanted. We did not want them to be released because we do not know why they killed our relatives or where they are from.”
Khanyisa Qwase said the family needed to know why their brother, Sanele, a father of two minors, had been killed.
“Police must act swiftly and arrest the remaining accused. This gives us sleepless nights.
The killers of our relatives must be given life sentences.
“It is not nice when your loved ones are killed and you do not know the reasons.”
Ayanda Mazwi said there had been merciless killings in the area with no arrests.
“We do not know these people. They are not from our village. Killing of our people does not sit well with us. This case has been postponed so many times and we had to fork out money to attend. We want justice for [the victims].”
Nomasheyi Mcimbi said: “We ask God to reveal the remaining suspect at large so that the cause of the killings can be known.
“Living in our villages in this area nowadays gives us sleepless nights because people are killed any day,” she said.
The accused will be back in the dock on August 16 after their case was postponed for further investigation.