A Limpopo man suspected to have been involved in the gruesome murder and beheading of a woman hid behind the dock during proceedings in the Polokwane Magistrate's Court yesterday.
Edward Raatji, 50, and his co- accused Stanley Mahlake, 33, have both been charged with murder after police found them in possession of a woman's head wrapped in newspapers near a taxi rank in Polokwane over a week ago.
Yesterday, presiding magistrate Michael Mamabolo had to instruct Raatji to respect the court and sit up straight. Earlier, Raatji, who was wearing a brown jacket, arrived in court holding a book and a pen in his hands.
Mamabolo informed Raatji and Mahlake that their case would be transferred to the Mokerong Magistrate's Court in Mahwelereng after the office of the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) settled the question of which court should have jurisdiction over the matter.
Mahwelereng is in Mokopane, where the murder is believed to have taken place, at Mapela village. This matter was raised during the pair's last court appearance on July 12, when police investigations linked the severed head to a burnt body of a woman discovered in Mapela.
The state prosecutor presented the court with a written confirmation from the NDPP that the case should be transferred to the Mokerong Magistrate's court.
The court also heard from defence lawyers that both Raatji and Mahlake were in need of urgent medical attention.
The lawyers said Raatji, who is diabetic and has to take insulin, had been vomiting blood in custody while Mahlake was injured after an alleged assault in jail.
Yesterday, residents from the Mapela area arrived in court to demonstrate. They held placards, some written "No bail for killers".
The angry residents went on a rampage at the weekend, burning two houses which they claimed belonged to Raatji and Mahlake.
A resident who asked not to be named told Sowetan yesterday that after the two were arrested, the community held a meeting on Sunday and decided to burn their houses as they were the suspects in the murder of the young woman.
"People were angry that the people who did this are our neighbours. We are shocked," the resident said.
However, provincial police spokeswoman Colonel Ronel Otto said that the two houses which were torched on Sunday belonged to the parents of both Raatji and Mahlake.
Otto said no one was injured during the incidents and that police have not yet arrested anyone in connection with the arson cases.
mahopoz@sowetan.co.za
Case of 'human head sellers' transferred
A Limpopo man suspected to have been involved in the gruesome murder and beheading of a woman hid behind the dock during proceedings in the Polokwane Magistrate's Court yesterday.
Edward Raatji, 50, and his co- accused Stanley Mahlake, 33, have both been charged with murder after police found them in possession of a woman's head wrapped in newspapers near a taxi rank in Polokwane over a week ago.
Yesterday, presiding magistrate Michael Mamabolo had to instruct Raatji to respect the court and sit up straight. Earlier, Raatji, who was wearing a brown jacket, arrived in court holding a book and a pen in his hands.
Mamabolo informed Raatji and Mahlake that their case would be transferred to the Mokerong Magistrate's Court in Mahwelereng after the office of the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) settled the question of which court should have jurisdiction over the matter.
Mahwelereng is in Mokopane, where the murder is believed to have taken place, at Mapela village. This matter was raised during the pair's last court appearance on July 12, when police investigations linked the severed head to a burnt body of a woman discovered in Mapela.
The state prosecutor presented the court with a written confirmation from the NDPP that the case should be transferred to the Mokerong Magistrate's court.
The court also heard from defence lawyers that both Raatji and Mahlake were in need of urgent medical attention.
The lawyers said Raatji, who is diabetic and has to take insulin, had been vomiting blood in custody while Mahlake was injured after an alleged assault in jail.
Yesterday, residents from the Mapela area arrived in court to demonstrate. They held placards, some written "No bail for killers".
The angry residents went on a rampage at the weekend, burning two houses which they claimed belonged to Raatji and Mahlake.
A resident who asked not to be named told Sowetan yesterday that after the two were arrested, the community held a meeting on Sunday and decided to burn their houses as they were the suspects in the murder of the young woman.
"People were angry that the people who did this are our neighbours. We are shocked," the resident said.
However, provincial police spokeswoman Colonel Ronel Otto said that the two houses which were torched on Sunday belonged to the parents of both Raatji and Mahlake.
Otto said no one was injured during the incidents and that police have not yet arrested anyone in connection with the arson cases.
mahopoz@sowetan.co.za
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