The two suspects accused of nine people’s murders at a tavern shooting in Pienaar, Mpumalanga, in January, will remain in custody.

According to an article published by Mpumalanga News, Bongani Nkosi and Mduduzi ‘Khehla’ Lubisi appeared in the KaBokweni Magistrate’s Court from Wednesday to Friday.

Their bail applications were unsuccessful, and they were remanded in custody pending their next court appearance on March 28.

The court found that they failed to provide justifiable grounds for their bail to be granted. They had abandoned bail provisionally on January 21, but shortly after decided to go through with the application.

The two are facing charges of murder, attempted murder, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, and defeating the ends of justice, among others.

Nkosi (39) and Lubisi (43) allegedly went to a tavern in Pienaar at about 04:00 on January 11 and shot at a group of people.

Six of the victims were declared dead on-scene while three others died in hospital due to their injuries. A further three people were injured and survived.

The court heard that after the shooting, Lubisi had gone to the Pienaar Police Station to report that he had been kidnapped. “I was forced to transfer my money to the criminals who kidnapped me from my house.”

The police had taken Lubisi to his house in Pienaar in a bid to investigate the alleged kidnapping. That was when they discovered three unlicensed firearms without ammunition.

Lubisi was the second suspect to be arrested in the 48 hours after the massacre.

Nkosi was arrested within the first 24 hours after the incident. He was found in possession of an unlicensed firearm with 13 rounds of live ammunition.

The shooting led to the closure of the tavern, while government inspectors established whether it was complying with its liquor licence by being open at 04:00.

Both the acting provincial police commissioner, Major General Dr Zeph Mkhwanazi, and the MEC for community safety, security and liaison, Jackie Macie, condemned the massacre.

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