- The five people accused of murdering two Mareetsane police officers are expected to apply for bail.
- The four men and a teenager were arrested in July.
- They allegedly murdered the two officers after the men were caught stealing goats.
The four men and a teenager accused of murdering two North West police officers, who had stopped them on suspicion of stock theft, will be applying for bail later this month.
Benjamin Jacobs, 42, Jeremiah Mongale, 26, Rapulana Keikantse, 25, Matthews Modukane, 20, and a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named because he is a minor, appeared in the Ganyesa Magistrate's Court on Thursday.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the matter was referred to the regional court, where the bail applications will be heard on 31 August.
NPA spokesperson Henry Mamothame said bail would be opposed for the five accused, but that the teenager's bail application would be heard separately under Child Justice Court regulations.
All five accused have opted to be represented by legal aid.
They have been charged with murder, malicious damage to property and possession of a stolen firearm.
News24 previously reported that the two officers, Constable Simon Ngakaemang Ntsekeletsa, 50, and Sergeant Mojalefa Horatius Molete, 42, who were stationed at Mareetsane police station, were on a patrol when they came across a vehicle loaded with suspected stolen goats at around 21:00 on 26 July.
"The members reported the incident to the commander and mentioned that they would be bringing the suspect's vehicle to the police station soon. About an hour later, the police reported that they were not far from the police station," Hawks spokesperson Captain Tlangelani Rikhotso said at the time.
The following day, police were alerted to bloodstains found on a road leading to the police station.
Along with a trail of blood, police also discovered a knife and a police badge belonging to one of the deceased. The other police badge was found near Mareetsane Road.
"Further investigations led the team to a burnt state vehicle wherein the bodies of the deceased police officers were discovered," Rikhotso said.
The charred bodies of two @SAPoliceService members found in the back of a police bakkie near Ganyesa North West. They went missing last night. pic.twitter.com/s5TNVWVPFG
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) July 27, 2021
Rikhotso said that, through investigations, they traced and arrested five people, who were allegedly found in possession of a 9mm pistol taken from the slain police officers on 28 July, two days after Ntsekeletsa and Molete were murdered.
"A hammer, clothing with suspected blood stains, and a vehicle have been seized for further investigation," he added.
Police Minister Bheki Cele previously said an attack on the police was an attack on the state.
"This is why we will leave no stone unturned and will utilise all resources at our disposal to ensure that those, who commit such heinous acts against our officers in blue, are found and face the full might of the law," Cele said.