Cop accused of 3 Centane killings in court
State will oppose bail when the hearing resumes on Thursday
A police officer who is accused of killing three people — a priest, a traditional leader and a businessman — appeared in the Centane magistrate's court on Monday.
Warrant officer Ronnie Doko, 55, who is attached to the Mthatha VIP unit, is accused of killing the Reverend Maxwell Citwa, 55, and Kwanontshinga headman Nkosi Siyabulela Bushenge, 48.
He is also accused of killing church member and businessman Lusanda Ntsompo, 48.
A fourth person, 62-year-old Mthethi Koli was shot and injured in the incident.
Citwa was head of the Christian Mission SA Church.
Doko appeared before magistrate Barry Nel on three counts of murder and one of attempted murder.
Following an agreement between prosecutor Cwayita Nghoma and the accused’s private attorney from Mgxaji Attorneys, Nel postponed the case to Thursday.
There were no members of Doko's family or of the community present.
The deceased priest’s brother, the Rev Manene Citwa, was outside the courtroom with other family members.
The shooting took place at the premises of the Christian Mission Church at Komkhulu village of Kwanontshinga in Centane at about 3pm on Wednesday.
Ntsompo was in the church yard inspecting the church hall being constructed.
Citwa was inside his vehicle. Some other church members were inside a mission house.
Community members told the Dispatch on Saturday it was alleged that Doko was involved in a civil matter with the church leadership over the church site. Doko apparently claimed the land was his and not that of the Citwas.
After parting ways with the church in 2019, he claimed the land and allegedly destroyed a shack which was used by the congregation.
A case of malicious damage to property was opened against him.
However, it was withdrawn and the matter was referred to a civil court.
The dispute had featured on TV news, with Doko, Citwa and Bushenge all being interviewed.
In the interview, Bushenge says he fears blood will be spilt and urges Citwa to move his church from the village.
The priest refuses, saying he knows Doko is trying to get him off the land.
The case was postponed to Thursday for a bail application.
Independent police investigative directorate spokesperson Ndileka Cola said the state would oppose bail.
“The directorate continues with the investigation process.
“The investigator will attend the postmortem in Butterworth today.
“The accused’s service firearm has already been confiscated and taken for ballistic analysis,” Cola said.
A delegation of Centane traditional leaders and Amathole local house of traditional leaders, led by Nkosi Phathuxolo Jongilanga Tyali, visited the bereaved Bushenge family and the church premises.