No bail for murder accused
Man alleged to have shot woman goes back to jail
DOUBLE murder accused Mthuthuzeli Matiwane, 57, was denied bail in the East London Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Matiwane is the husband of Buffalo City Metro ANC ward 13 councillor Nokulunga Matiwane and they have five children together. He was arrested two weeks ago. The councillor was granted R500 bail by the East London Magistrate’s Court on the same charges earlier this week.
The couple were arrested in connection with the killing of two women, Nombulelo Mpitipiti, 50, and Nomboniso Twana, 54, in Reeston’s Dice township on Tuesday last week.
Mpitipiti died on the scene from two bullet wounds to the head and Twana died a day later at Frere Hospital after sustaining two bullet wounds – to her stomach and arm.
Twana was an Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) supervisor, having attained employment allegedly through the councillor.
Residents went on the rampage and set alight Matiwane’s house in Dice after the deaths of the two women.
Matiwane’s disabled 23-year-old daughter was killed after she became trapped inside the house.
According to police, Twana managed to give a short statement identifying Mthuthuzeli as the one who pulled the trigger, before she died.
The court heard that when he allegedly committed the murder, Mthuthuzeli was with his son Sithembele, 36, and a man only known by his clan name, “Tshangisa”, and both are on the run.
In denying him bail magistrate Robin Taylor said: “I must take into account the two innocent women who lost their lives in what appears to have been an execution-style shooting and the circumstances leading to this suggest premeditation.
“Of importance in this case is the attitude of the community that responded with extreme measures. I can imagine the resentment that you harbour for the community.
“Your wife is a councillor. She has a public profile. The court must determine if your release on bail could not undermine the justice system.” — zwangam@dispatch.co.za