Four more suspects in the Lusikisiki massacre have been arrested after Siphosoxolo Myekethe renounced his bail request on Tuesday.
According to police, the four men whose photos were circulated on social media on Tuesday evening were apprehended in KwaZulu-Natal.
The national commissioner of police, General Fannie Masemola, expressed gratitude to South Africans from all walks of life for their invaluable assistance in providing information on the whereabouts of the wanted suspects in the Lusikisiki mass killings.
Communities banded together and notified police of the whereabouts of the suspects within 24 hours of the SA Police Service (SAPS) issuing the alert, Masemola confirmed.
“We also wish to thank the South African media fraternity, social media users, and all people who shared the pictures of these suspects, stood united and exposed the whereabouts of these suspects,” said Masemola.
We are indebted to you
“All four suspects are now in police custody. To those who shared the pictures of these suspects on social media, to all the journalists and media houses that played their watchdog role, we are indebted to you.
“This is what the SAPS can achieve when the whole country rallies behind our men and women in blue. We thank you, South Africa, for assisting us to stamp the authority of the state.”
On Tuesday, Luxolo Tyali, the spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the Eastern Cape, stated that although the accused did not provide an explanation for the bail cancellation, the state is happy that they did not waste the court’s time.
“With our experience, the accused persons usually abandon bail when the media is still focussing on the case and the courtrooms are packed; once there are not as many people in court, they then reapply,” said Tyali.
The case against Myekethe, who previously served 21 years in prison for armed robbery and murder, has been rescheduled for November 26 in order to gather more information.
He faces 18 counts of murder and one count of possession of an assault rifle, an AK-47, without a permit.
