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Suspects arrested three years after killing of ANC councillors who blew whistle on wrongdoing

Four suspects appeared in court on Wednesday for the 2019 murder of two ANC Mogalakwena councillors.
Four suspects appeared in court on Wednesday for the 2019 murder of two ANC Mogalakwena councillors.
Image: Supplied

Three years after two councillors were murdered before reporting on maladministration in the Mogalakwena municipality in Limpopo, their alleged killers have been arrested. 

Four suspects appeared in court on Wednesday for the 2019 murders.

Samuel Seruputlane, 50, Jabulane Petros Mashamaite, 43, James Mswezi Chuma, 42, and Nkholo Frans Mangadi, 49, appeared in the Mokopane magistrate's court on charges of conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of murder and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.

They were arrested on Tuesday.

Their alleged victims are Vaaltyn Kekana, 54, and Ralph Kanyane, 32.

According to a report by NPA spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, at the time Kekana was killed he was about to table a report in the council on alleged irregular expenditure or maladministration.

On July 23 2019, the two councillors were sitting in a car in Mokopane when gunmen approached and shot them. Both men died at the scene.

“The assailants fled on foot and boarded a getaway vehicle waiting for them in a nearby street.”

Mashamaite has another case pending in which he and 28 others, including companies, face 121 counts of corruption, money laundering and conspiracy to commit corruption.

That matter was postponed to July 19 for pre-trial conference in the Polokwane specialised commercial crimes court.

The four accused in the murder trial will appear again on May 17 for a bail application. They remain in custody until then.

TimesLIVE


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