The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has welcomed its successful bail opposition for the three suspects linked to the killing of an e-hailing driver in Atteridgeville in February.
The application was opposed by Prosecutor Chris Maruma as the court remanded the suspects, Goitsione Machidi (25), McClaren Mushwana (30), and Thabang Kenneth Mothwa (27), into custody on June 23.
The court case was postponed to September 1.
Maruma submitted that Mothwa has a pending matter before the Cullinan Magistrate’s Court relating to the possession of a stolen vehicle, for which he was previously released on bail.
The three are facing a charge of premeditated murder of an e-hailing driver, Isaac Satlat (23), and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
It is alleged that on February 11, the conspirators requested a ride from an e-hailing service using a number not registered in their names.
Once Satlat responded to the call, another vehicle followed his car. The suspects allegedly forced Satlat to pull over, where they proceeded to strangle him to death and took his cellphone and vehicle.
The footage of the crime was captured on the car’s dashcam and circulated on social media, leading to the quick arrests of the suspects.
The first arrest was of Mphela, the female passenger captured on the vehicle’s dashcam, attacking Satlat. The second and third arrests were of Machidi and Mushwana, who were arrested together two days later.
On February 16, a fourth suspect, Tumishang MoMabutla, turned himself in to the Atteridgeville police, and the fifth and sixth suspects, Ofentse Senwamadi (18) and Thabang Kenneth Mothwa (27), were also arrested that same day.
The prosecutor argued that releasing Machidi, Mushwana and Mothwa would undermine public safety and be a threat to the community. The bail bids for Mphela, Mabutla, and Senwamadi were also turned down.
All six suspects remain in custody as the proceedings will resume on September 1, pending further investigations and High Court indictment procedures.
NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said initially that all six accused had abandoned their bail applications, but later changed their minds. Mahanjana insisted that the court made the right decision to deny bail.
“However, Machidi, Mushwana, and Mothwa subsequently brought a bail application, arguing that the state had a weak case against them and requesting the court to release them on bail. The court further found that the three accused had failed to demonstrate the existence of exceptional circumstances that would justify their release on bail. Consequently, bail was denied,” she said.
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