Four people accused of murdering family members of former Eastern Cape police commissioner Wilson Toba have been denied bail.

Nomvula Issabella Zodwa, 57, Lwando Elvis Lengisi, 32, Ayabulela Mahokoto, 27, and Thamsanqa Hlamandana, 32, stand accused of killing Boniswa Alinah Toba, 74, and Cingiswa Caroline Mila, 41, in April this year.

They also face charges of conspiracy to commit murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances. They were denied bail in the Peddie magistrate's court on Friday.

The two deceased are Toba's wife and daughter-in-law.

Magistrate Luvuyo Masiso said there was a strong case against the accused and pointed out the seriousness of the offences, the NPA said in a statement on Friday afternoon.

According to the NPA, Zodwa, a former police captain, was romantically involved with Mila’s 55-year-old husband when she sought the services of Hlamandana.

“It is alleged that she approached Hlamandana, a sangoma from Port Elizabeth, and requested that he bewitch Mila. The latter instead allegedly advised her to hire two men to kill Mila,” the NPA said.

The prosecution authority said that, on Sunday, April 12 2020, Lengisi and another suspect — who had not yet been arrested — allegedly entered the Toba homestead at Celetyuma village in Peddie, tied up Toba and Mila and stabbed them to death. It is further alleged that the two robbed the homestead of cellphones and an undisclosed amount of money.

Mahokoto allegedly drove the two men from Port Elizabeth to Peddie and back on that day.