Molosi murder suspects to appear in Court A today

Update

KNYSNA NEWS - The four suspects arrested in connection with the murder of Victor Molosi are scheduled to appear at the Knysna Magistrate's Court today. Three are charged with premeditated murder and one with conspiracy to commit murder.

Suspects Mawande Makhala, Vela Patrick Dumile and Knysna councillor Velile Waxa are charged with Schedule 6 premeditated murder and were arrested on Wednesday 15 August, and Knysna Taxi Forum secretary Mandla Tyololo who is charged with conspiracy to commit murder was arrested on 3 August.

Molosi was an ANC councillor and was shot dead outside his home in Concordia on 23 July 2018.

The anticipation before court proceedings last week Thursday 16 August, shortly after the arrests and first appearance of Makhala, Dumile and Waxa had been building up as ANC Women's League members along with Greater Knysna community members could be heard chanting, while a group of people was standing outside court A hoping to secure seats inside. The court was filled to capacity, with some members of the public pushing and shoving their way in – even elbowing the people who were already inside.

State prosecutor MP Heyns, who specialises in organised crime, requested that no pictures of the accused be taken or distributed pending further investigation in the matter, and members of the media had to take an oath before the court to this effect.

Cases might be combined
Tyololo also appeared in court on that day, and Heyns requested that both cases be postponed to today, 23 August. He said the State was yet to decide whether to combine the two cases and proceed with them together.

Dumile and Makhala will be represented by Legal Aid and Carl Jeppe has been standing in for Waxa’s attorney Daan Dercksen.

Makhala is an official from the Knysna Municipality who works at the department of integrated human settlements, Concordia housing office.

Waxa and Makhala will be applying for bail today while Dumile has abandoned his application.

Last week, magistrate Zukiswa Hans acknowledged the interest shown by the public, and added, “I hope they will appreciate the progress that has been made so far.”

Commenting on the progress of the case, ANC subregional secretary Moyisi Magalela said they commend the diligence and efforts by the police, which led to three more arrests after that of Tyololo's. “We trust that all these arrests are correct, we also wish to thank the community members who assisted with the investigators with the leads.”

Magalela expressed the party’s gratitude to the community of Greater Knysna and the Southern Cape region for their unwavering support and added, “Now all we ask is for our communities to give the justice department the space they need to do their job, let us not allow our anger jeopardise the case.”

All four men arrested in connection with the murder of Victor Molosi have remained in custody.

Read previous articles: