Fort Hare’s horror ‘laptop lynching’: Court to hear six students’ bid for bail

The bail hearing of six University of Forth Hare (UFH) students, accused of torturing and stabbing to death another student over the weekend, has been set for Thursday this week.

Monelisi Sodidi, 21, Lindokuhle Ndlebe, 25, Aphelel Qongqo, 21, Nkanyiso Nzimakhwe, 21, Siphosethu Nkomo, 25, and Mosuli Mgilane, 21, made a brief appearance in the Alice Magistrate’s Court on Monday in connection with the murder which rocked the tertiary institution.

UFH shock campus death: Swift arrest of six students

Police arrested the students in a matter of a few hours after the discovery of the death of the 21-year-old victim.

He was allegedly punched, slapped, choked and stabbed to death on campus in what is believed to have been an altercation over a missing laptop.

Eastern Cape police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli confirmed that an investigation was launched into the murder of the third-year BSc Agriculture student.  

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Deadly altercation allegedly sparked by missing laptop

He added that according to student discussions doing the rounds on the university’s social media platforms, it is alleged that the victim was accused of stealing a laptop belonging to one of the suspects.

UFH spokesperson JP Roodt said the student’s death occurred at about 3.20am on Sunday morning.  

Roodt said that in the initial investigation report, witnesses claim that the altercation began at the Disco nightclub in Alice before it moved onto campus.

It is believed a fight broke out near one of the student accommodation blocks.

Bail application

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the case has been postponed until Thursday, 12 October for profiling and a formal bail application.

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