Rustenburg- The case against four men charged with the murder of Sam Mbatha, who was a LGBTQI+ activist, has been transferred to the North West High Court for trial.
Arthur Khoza, 19, Thato Masetla, 22, Junior Modise, 21, and Mahlatsi Nkuna, 21, are expected to make their first appearance at the high court sitting in Ga-Rankuwa on August 29.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the four men appeared at the regional court in Ga-Rankuwa on Tuesday.
“The state provided the defence attorneys with the indictment, detailing all the charges relating to the murder. A pre-trial conference date will be decided when the matter appears at the high court,” said NPA spokesperson in the North West division, Henry Mamothame.
He said Modise was released on warning, while Mosetla was denied bail on July 7, after he initially abandoned it after his arrest.
“Khoza and Nkuna, are still out on R500 bail each. Their bail conditions are that they must report to the Klipgat Police Station, every Wednesday and Sunday, between 17h00 and 18h00, and they are also barred from interfering with the state’s witnesses,” Mamothame said.
The four were arrested following an intensive investigation by the police, linking them to the murder of Mbatha.
Police investigations led them to a house in the Phutha section, Klipgat on June 21 in 2021, the house was searched and they found bloodstains on the floor, under and on top of a bed as well on the carpet.
An axe suspected to have been used during the commission of this crime was found on top of the roof of the house.
DNA samples positively identified Sam Mbatha as the deceased person, whose body was found inside a burnt Hyundai i20 vehicle at a soccer field in Ikageng Section.
IOL