The case involving the shooting of seven people near Willowvale, in which four members of a single family died, has been transferred to the Butterworth magistrate’s court for security reasons.
The three accused, Inga Sogidashe, 33, Vumile Lola, 37, and Siphelele Ntshiyane, 33, first appeared in the Willowvale magistrate’s court on Monday before prosecutor Mamba Guzana applied for the case to be transferred to Butterworth.
Advocate Lusindiso Matotie, for the accused, did not object to the transfer, but stressed there had been no formal application to that effect.
“I heard that a certain chief magistrate had instructed that the case be postponed to the Butterworth magistrate’s court for security reasons,” he said.
“Otherwise, there was no consultation whatsoever.
“We will deal with the postponement when we are in Butterworth, whether it was done correctly or not.'”
Security was beefed up in both courts, with members of the specialised police tactical response team inside and outside the court.
Plainclothes police were also present.
Sogidashe entered the court limping and favouring his right leg.
Though the accused were arrested in the Western Cape in May, they are all originally from Willowvale’s surrounding villages.
In Butterworth, the case was postponed to Thursday and Friday for formal bail application.
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