Murdered woman’s sister flays judiciary
Men accused of killing close friends set free
The younger sister of one of the two women who were murdered in Soweto last year has lashed out at the criminal justice system after the two men charged with their killing were released yesterday.
Alec Magaula Mamothame, 43, and Sandile Nkosi, 25, were accused of kidnapping, robbing and killing close friends Bongeka Phungula and Popi Qwabe on May 12.
The two were arrested on May 21 and granted bail a month later.
Yesterday, the pair was told by the Protea Magistrate’s Court that their matter has been provisionally withdrawn.
Thembelihle Qwabe, Popi’s younger sister, lashed out on social media yesterday.
“You have failed me as a black child. You have failed the young women that get killed everyday. You have failed my late sister and my best friend,” she wrote on Twitter, tagging Police Minister Fikile Mbalula.
Magistrate Herman Badenhorst yesterday told the pair he was left with no option but to temporarily absolve them of their charges. The trial was scheduled to begin after numerous postponements.
Qwabe and Phungula’s bodies were found on May 12 and 13 respectively, after they were shot dead. Their bodies were dumped in Naledi and Tladi.
National Prosecuting Authority spokeswoman Phindi Mjondwana said the courts were reluctant to grant the state further postponements.
“The magistrate felt that he had been postponing the matter since last year and decided to strike it off the roll until the police are able to gather enough evidence for it to be heard in a court.
“It does not mean that this will be the permanent state of the case, but it simply means that it can be brought back if more evidence is presented.”
‘‘ You have failed my late sister and my best friend