Teacher s murder - 3 denied bail

Three people accused of the murder of Vaalbank teacher, Khayalethu Maqhina, including his estranged wife, were denied bail when they appeared before the Cacadu magistrate s court

’ on Tuesday.

Family spokesperson Luvuyo Moyi said they were happy with the outcome and that a different prosecutor had been appointed in the case. The Rep reported (Family question court case, June 26) that Moyi claimed the previous prosecutor had told the family that an investigating officer working on the case that there were no grounds for the state to oppose bail for the accused.

We are also very happy

“that, after we complained about the former prosecutor who the family believed did not have our best interests at heart, was changed. We were told before that there was no point in us opposing bail because there was very little chance of winning that,” Moyi said. We thought this strange,

“especially in a murder case with such damning accusations against the accused three.” Maqhina s wife, Nosipho

’

Maqhina, 50, was arrested on April 11, along with two other suspects, aged 45 and 57, for the alleged murder of her husband and have been in police custody since their arrest. Maqhina s body was thrown

’ over a cliff in Swartwater and, according to Moyi, his vehicle was unsuccessfully tipped over to make it seem as though there had been an accident.

The case will be heard again on July 23 when the trial is expected to commence.