Trial date set for the Els murder accused
A DATE for the trial of four accused in the Piet Els murder case has been set down in the Northern Cape High Court for later this year.
It is expected that the case’s indictment will be served on the four accused, Morapedi Rankali, Motlalentwe Qhautse, Thuso Ramoleo and Lebohang Melesi, later this week.
Melesi, 27, was arrested by the SAPS Trio Crime unit on February 12 in Galeshewe for his alleged involvement in the case.
Police spokesperson Captain Sergio Kock said Melesi appeared briefly in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court and would remain in custody until his next court appearance.
The four accused are being charged with murder, rape, housebreaking with the intent to rob (with aggravating circumstances) and the unlawful possession of a firearm, following a brutal attack on Piet Els’ farm outside Kimberley last year.
The incident occurred on Els’ farm Carter’s Ridge on January 23 2018, when he and his 67-year-old partner were viciously attacked and tortured by suspects who forced their way into Els’ farmhouse situated on Schmidtsdrift Road just outside of Kimberley.
The suspects fled the scene in Els’ white Mercedes-benz after allegedly stealing firearms, jewellery, cash and cellphones. The car was later found abandoned next to the R31 road to Barkly West.
Els was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at Mediclinic Gariep after the incident, where he died on May 15 2018, almost four months after the attack, as a result of the injuries he sustained during the attack.
Melesi is expected to submit a formal bail application today after he was arrested last week, and the four accused will make their next appearance in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court later this week, when indictments are expected to be served.
On Friday, State prosecutor Elmar Steyn indicated that the trial would be heard in the Northern Cape High Court during October and November this year.