Zama zama kingpins case postponed

The case of the six suspects arrested for being alleged kingpins in illegal mining has been postponed for them to make formal bail applications.

On Wednesday, the accused made their first appearance in a packed courtroom at the Carletonville magistrate’s court after being nabbed at their respective residences in Carletonville and Khutsong on Tuesday morning.

The accused are Bethuel Ngobeni, Dumisa Moyo, Nhlanhla Magwaca, Moseki Sechele, Thabo Sechele and Khudzai Mashaya.

They are facing charges of fraud, possession of ammunition, possession of drugs, money laundering, contravention of the Immigration Act and contravention of the Precious Metals Act.

During court proceedings, state prosecutor Asanda Nombewu made a request that the matter be postponed to allow for the state to verify the citizenship of four of the accused and prepare for a formal bail application.

Nombewu said two of the accused are South Africans and the citizenship of the other four is yet to be confirmed.

The defence lawyer representing all the accused, Mulalo Lifhiga, opposed the postponement, arguing that all his clients are South Africans and investigating officers know where they stay as they were “arrested in front of their wives, partners and children”.

Magistrate Seanokeng Diale granted the state its application for postponement and remanded the matter to October 19.

The accused will remain in police custody. 

On Tuesday, the Hawks said they had arrested seven suspects, but on Wednesday spokesperson Col Katlego Mogale confirmed that this was a mistake. 

“There was a clerical error where one suspect was charged twice. One of them was charged with [possession of] drugs separately,’’ said Mogale.

The accused were rounded up by the Hawks, police and immigration officers in Carletonville and Khutsong on Tuesday from their residences on suspicions of being illegal mining kingpins.  

Mogale said the suspects are aged between 35 and 60 and were in possession of 13 high-performance vehicles and a truck which were seized. 

She said the vehicles emanate from the proceeds of crimes linked to illegal mining. 

Mogale said a home-made firearm was also confiscated from one of the residences.

According to the police, the accused are alleged to be buying gold-bearing materials from the illegal miners, processing it and selling it to the “next level in the hierarchy” on the black market.

kokam@sowetan.co.za