Masoka Dube

The case against three suspects accused of beating a fellow suspect to death at Acornhoek police station in Mpumalanga has been postponed to December 4.

The three were denied bail by the Bushbuckridge magistrates' court this week and will remain in custody.

Donald Shai, 26, Peter Teledi, 22, and Tumelo Malele, 23, were not asked to plead to a charge of murder after the death of Kgaugelo Malele, 23, in the cell in which the four were locked up two weeks ago.

Police spokesman Superintendent Moatshe Ngoepe said yesterday that the three suspects were awaiting trial on a murder charge.

Malele had been arrested for a petty crime - housebreaking.

Last week Malele's father, Elkan Mashego, had demanded an explanation from the police for his son's murder and challenged why he had been locked in the same cell with murder suspects.

"Firstly, the police arrested my son without a warrant of arrest and that is also a matter of concern for me," said Mashego.