Quku’s alleged killer abandons bail claim

SCORES of protesters demonstrated with placards outside the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court yesterday where Leonard Mzingeli 25, accused of the murder of 17-year-old Amahle Quku, abandoned his bail application.

Community members asked that no bail be granted to Mzingeli as he made his second appearance.

He is accused of killing Quku and dumping her naked body.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said: “The matter has been postponed to October 6 for further investigation.”

At his first appearance on June 23, Mzingeli was charged with murder.

Community Safety MEC Albert

Fritz welcomed the ruling.

“I have requested that members of the court watching brief units monitor this case and ensure that each leg of the criminal justice system is operating optimally to ensure that Quku’s murderer is not allowed to roam free and possibly endanger the lives of others.”

Quku’s body was found on June 20, by residents in Albert Luthuli Street in Browns Farm. She was stripped and stones were found next to her bruised body.

“By convicting the perpetrators of gender-based violence (GBV), we send a strong message, that ‘you will be caught, and you will be prosecuted’.

“To achieve this, we must equally ensure that our police officials treat GBV-related cases with the seriousness it deserves and not subject victims to a secondary assault,” he said.

“To this end, I have requested that the Western Cape Police Ombudsman, investigate two cases of secondary victimisation at Langa and Site B, Khayelitsha, local police stations.

“He has informed me that his investigation into the two reported cases is ongoing.”

One recent murder cases in Philippi, police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said detectives, supported by members of the national Public Order Police Reserve Unit, followed information and descended on a residence on the Main Road in Delft where they arrested two suspects aged 18 and 19.

Potelwa said four young men were killed and another one died in hospital after seven suspects stormed into a house in Block 4 in Philippi East in the evening of June 30, and started shooting randomly.

She said the arrested suspects were expected in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court today on charges of murder.

Potelwa said as the investigation unfolds “more arrests are imminent”.

“By convicting perpetrators of GBV we send a strong message Albert Fritz MINISTER OF COMMUNITY SAFETY