Judgment for the brutal murder of LGBTQI+ activist Sam Mbatha is now only expected to be delivered on March 4 next year, following the ruling’s postponement last Thursday.

Arthur Khoza (19), Mahlatsi Nkuna (21), and Thato Mosetla (22) were arrested following an intensive investigation by the police, linking them to Mbatha’s murder.

Spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority Henry Mamothame says Mbatha was butchered and his charred body was found inside a burnt Hyundai i20 near a soccer field in Klipgat in January 2021.

He adds that on Monday, June 21, 2021, the police found bloodstains on the floor, under and on top of a bed, and on the carpet of the suspects’ house.

“Furthermore, an axe suspected to have been used during the commission of the murder was found on top of the roof of the house,” he says.

Mamothame says DNA samples positively identified Mbatha as the deceased.

In addition to the murder case, the trio faces charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping, malicious damage to property, and defeating the ends of justice.

Mosetla was denied bail on July 7, 2022, while Khoza and Nkuna are both out on bail.