The case against former Kaizer Chiefs strike Mike ‘Sporo’ Mangena has been postponed to July.

Mangena appeared in the Randfontein magistrate’s court on the West Rand on Tuesday morning.

Dressed in a black suit and white shirt, Mangena carried a small knobkerrie covered with beads in his hand.

Mangena’s lawyers and those of his co-accused wanted the state to drop the case as they believed there was no evidence linking the accused with the crime of manufacturing illegal drugs.  

His co-accused in the case are Morena Maqoaelane, 26, William Kazipata, 34, and Kennedy Tsogolane, 24. The three are still in custody, while Mangena is out on R50,000 bail.

Mangena was arrested together with the three in November last year after police raided his farm in Hillside, Randfontein, where they found a drug-manufacturing plant.

The drugs-manufacturing barn was situated on the farm which also has chickens, goats, cattle and ducks. Inside the barn police said they found a spillage dryer tank, gas cylinders, plastic drums and a number of zinc basins full of chemicals which were allegedly used to produce mandrax.

Police said the drugs were produced on the farm but not packaged on the plot. The former Kaizer Chiefs, Wits, Durban Bush Bucks, Mamelodi Sundowns and Moroka Swallows striker has denied any involvement in the drug-manufacturing plant.

He said he had no knowledge of what was happening on the property.

The court granted the defense its application for the today’s postponement to become the final one as the matter has dragged on for some time.

Prosecutors also told the Randfontein Magistrate’s Court that the Director Public Prosecutions had made the decision that the matter must continue in the same court as planned.