Police have sent high-calibre firearms seized on Thursday, 17 October, for ballistics testing. The weapons were allegedly used in the mass murder of 18 Lusikisiki victims.
On Friday, 18 October, three suspects, all of whom have previous convictions, appeared briefly in the Lusikisiki Magistrates' Court in connection with the killing of 18 people in Lusikisiki. The trio have all abandoned their bail applications.
The three are Aphiwe "AP" Ndende, Lwandile Anthony "Abi" Shakes and Bongo "Rico" Hintsa. The court heard that Ndende is currently out on bail on a murder charge in a 2022 case, Shakes was convicted of attempted murder in 2012 and Hintsa was previously convicted of drug possession.
This brings to six the total number of people who have been arrested in connection with the mass slaughter.
According to a police statement, four people were expected to appear in court, but only three appeared on Friday. The accused waived their bail and informed the court they would be seeking legal aid.
The three facing 18 counts of murder were warned they face life in prison on each charge if they are convicted. They also face one count of possession of an unlicensed firearm, an AK-47 assault rifle.
On Friday, 27 September 2024, assailants ambushed two houses in Nyathi village, Ngobozana, Lusikisiki,...
