Main accused in police station attack denies involvement

The main accused in the case linking members of the Mancoba Seven Angels Ministries church to a deadly attack on the Ngcobo police station which claimed the lives of five officers has denied any involvement.

Andani Monco, 35, and his co-accused — Kwanele Ndlwana, 35, Siphosomzi Tshefu, 26, and Phumzile Mhlatywa, 50 — have pleaded not guilty to all charges in connection with the February 21 2018 attack.

Monco told the Mthatha high court, sitting in Butterworth, that he was asleep in the church compound at the time of the incident.

“I am falsely accused. I spent the better part of the night watching the soccer game between Chelsea and Barcelona, other matches ... doing household chores and also ... watching some series.”

He said he watched TV from 7.30pm until midnight before going to bed.

“At about 6am the following day I saw on SABC1’S Morning Live programme [news of] the killing incident.”

The four accused face 20 charges, including five counts of murder, two of attempted murder, seven of robbery with aggravating circumstances, three of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, and one of possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to commit an offence.

They also face a charge relating to a foiled robbery at a Capitec Bank branch.

On Wednesday, Judge Robert Griffiths threw out their bid to have their charges withdrawn.

Monco told the court that none of the evidence presented by the state, including that of experts, confirmed his involvement in the crimes.

“Even the ballistic results did not positively link us, and there were none of my fingerprints or any of the accused, including those who were shot dead, found on any of the guns or any other thing linking us, though there were claims by witnesses and pictures showing us and the deceased wearing hand gloves.

“How are we then claimed to be involved in this offence?”

Monco said no one at the church compound had talked to him about the incident until the day they were arrested.

“[However] on the morning [of February 22] I overheard Thandazile [Mancoba], Dova and Ringo talking to each other that they [knew] something about the police killings.

“I did not ask them. But later in the day police raided the church, shooting dead others and arresting us.”