POLOKWANE – Fans and other lekompo genre artists gathered at the Ngwako Ramahlodi Sports Ground last Thursday in remembrance of lekompo DJ and producer Adifele Maimela, also known as Fuego ‘Baswele Mfana’.

Fuego was murdered in Magazyn Street on April 7.

Masheleng Mashishi (25) and Karabo Mothiba (27) have been charged with murder, as well as the attempted murder of Makwena Ramagoshi, who was reportedly with the victim at the time.

According to police reports, Maimela was at his rented residence with his partner in the early hours of the morning when the two accused arrived and an argument is said to have ensued.

It was reported that one of the accused produced a firearm and shot Maimela, before attempting to shoot Ramagoshi.

Following the incident, the same suspect is said to have requested those present to assist in taking the victim to hospital, where he was later declared dead on arrival.

Police further reported that the suspects then went to a nearby police station, claiming they had fired shots at individuals who had kidnapped a girl.

Officers were however, alerted by the hospital about the shooting while the suspects were still at the station.

Provincial police spokesperson Col Malesela Ledwaba confirmed that the firearm used in the incident was confiscated for further investigation.

The accused appeared in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court last Thursday and their case was postponed to Monday for possible bail application.

Mashishi’s legal representative, Mathiba Reuben, read an affidavit in which he stated that he had acted in self-defence after perceiving a threat to his life.

“I fired warning shots in an attempt to disperse the group before discharging further rounds when the situation did not de-escalate,” it read.

Mothiba’s affidavit, however, stated that he responded to a woman’s message who said she had been abducted.

“She sent me a live location and I immediately made my way to town and along the way I called Mashishi to meet me at where the location directed. I only called him to accompany me to ensure that she is safe.”

He then narrated how he came to be in the same location.

Investigating officer Sgt Phineas Ngoepe confirmed that the accused have no previous, pending or ongoing cases against them.

The two were granted R5 000 bail on Wednesday (April 22), and the matter was postponed to June 29 for further investigation.