NELSPRUIT – The pastor who was found guilty of murder and was sentenced has had his appeal postponed.
Mandla Esau Dube (49) appeared in the Nelspruit Regional Court on Wednesday to appeal his sentencing.
He had been granted bail by magistrate Willie Wilkens so he could prepare for the appeal. Outside media reported that he also told Dube that he should bear in mind that he was still going to jail for the crime.
On September 11, 2011, Dube used a pickaxe handle to brutally beat Sabelo Mlombo (27) of Mganduzweni Trust to death whom he had accused of stealing his water tank.
Dube was a pastor for the General Church of God in Chochocho Trust. Wilkens said as Dube had already been sentenced to 15 years, he would be refunded his R1 000 bail money, which he could use towards the R20 000 bail granted on Wednesday.
No date for an appeal has yet been set as the case now has to be forwarded to Pretoria for the Chief Justice to assess.
