Three men linked to the gruesome murder of two women who were looking for food at a farm outside Polokwane will apply for bail in the Mankweng magistrate’s court on Tuesday.
The accused are Zachariah Johannes Olivier, 60, a farm owner, and his co-accused Andrian Rudolph de Wet, 19, as well as undocumented Zimbabwean William Musora.
They are facing charges of murder, attempted murder, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, and defeating the ends of justice.
Musora is facing an additional charge of contravention of the Immigration Act for being in the country illegally.
The trio made a brief appearance in court on August 26 facing charges of a serious nature. However, their lawyers said they were not ready for the bail application at the time.
Shot and thrown into a pigsty
The incident has brought poignant memories of unabated farm killings that have bedevilled the province.
The deceased, Mariah Makgato, 47 and 34-year-old Zimbabwean, Lucia Ndlovhu, were shot several times and subsequently thrown into a pigsty.
Officials confirmed that the pigs mauled the women, who had numerous gunshot wounds on their bodies.
The provincial tracking team and murder and robbery unit made a breakthrough by arresting the trio after a thorough investigation.
Given the gravity of the case, it is highly likely that it could be escalated to the Limpopo High Court sitting in Polokwane.
This is according to Mohlatlego Moitsi, an attorney from a law firm in Polokwane, Moitsi Attorneys and Associates.
Severity of the offences
“The accused are facing serious charges that cannot be settled at the magistrate’s court. Also to be taken into cognisance is the multiplicity of their crimes,” said Moitsi.
“The magistrate will look into the severity of their offences and transfer the cases to the high court for trial.”
The spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority in the province, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, said they have a watertight case.
“The investigators in this case are currently compiling compelling evidence that will direct where this case is leading us. Justice will eventually be served,” said Malabi-Dzhangi.
“A crime was committed in the harshest manner, and those who are found on the wrong side of the law will face the music.”
