POLOKWANE – There was an unexpected turn of events in the case of Lekompo star Lehlogonolo Katlego “Shebeshxt” Chauke today when he brought his second bail application on new facts; a third bail application overall.

He clarified that its role is not to fill gaps left by previously failed applications, two of which he appealed.

Chauke appeared before the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court, where his new lawyer, Advocate Mutheiwana Sikhwari, read an affidavit stating that he has received a report from forensic ballistics specialist Dr Christo de Klerk.

Chauke believes the report is sufficient new evidence for the court to grant him bail, and argues that this should be treated as a new bail application rather than a continuation of previous failed ones.

Background to the charges

His two applications have been rejected since his arrest last November, followed by rejected appeals before the Polokwane division of the Limpopo High Court.

He was accused and charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting at Petrus Ralefatane with an unlicensed firearm, while the victim was with another male person in Ladanna in October 2025.

For the same incident, he was also charged with malicious damage to property and possession of an unlicensed firearm. Since then, his charges have grown to 21.

‘I am being framed’

Reading the document in Chauke’s voice, Sikhwari said the accused was willing to bring De Klerk to testify based on a report he has compiled to show that the musician was framed.

Sikhwari read: “I would like to make it clear that there was never a shooting incident between me and the said Petrus Ralefatane and any other person on 19 October 2025 or any other date. I was not involved in the alleged shooting incident. It just never happened and I am being framed for the incident which was never committed.”

He alleged that De Klerk’s report, which based on Sikhwari’s interpretation of the law, should be taken as hearsay evidence generally permissible during a bail application, would challenge the state’s version.

“The report and opinion will demonstrate the severe improbability of the version of the state or witnesses of the state or of Petrus Ralefatane as it appears in the police docket, I obtained after my bail refusal on 30 April 2026,” he read.

Previous bail attempts

His previous new facts applications that were ultimately refused included:

• The need to access medical treatment for a leg fracture sustained in a vehicle accident that claimed the life of his daughter
• That the prosecution’s evidence was thin and heavily influenced by his public persona rather than concrete proof
• Alleged judicial bias

‘Denying me this is obstruction of justice’

On Wednesday, he mentioned that this third bail application, the second on new facts, should not be a continuation of the previous applications but a completely new one, as several new facts have emerged since the first was refused in April, including since his appearance before the Polokwane Regional Court in July.

“The facts, in this case relating to De Klerk’s report, are new to me because they came to me after the said time and denying me this is tantamount to the obstruction of justice and constitutional right. Information made available to witnesses or others other than me that had been relevant before should not stop me from presenting them as new facts to this court, as it had not been known to me,” the statement continued.