Three Lusikisiki massacre accused decline to apply for bail

Three suspects who appeared in the Lusikisiki magistrate’s court in connection with the September 28 massacre have previously come into contact with the law — one absconded in a murder trial, one served time for attempted murder, and the third was convicted of possession of drugs.

Though police initially reported that four suspects had been arrested, only Bonga “Rico” Hintsa, 30, Aphiwe “AP” Ndende, 25, and Lwando Anthony “Shakes” Abi, 31, appeared in court on Friday, facing 18 counts of murder.

A fourth suspect, Songezo “Mashiya” Vuma, 20, is still on the run.

Another man who was arrested was not linked to the massacre but to the murder of five people in a case related to an alleged drug lords’ turf war in Flagstaff.

The three suspects who appeared before magistrate Granville Isaacs, said they would not apply for bail and wanted to be represented by Legal Aid.

Isaacs said, should they be found guilty of the murders, they would face life imprisonment.

Ndende said he had been out on bail since 2022 in a trial in Flagstaff.

However, he said he had absconded trial in April because he had changed his place of residence.

Abi said he was sentenced to 10 years for attempted murder, with three years suspended.

“Yes I have previous convictions, Sir,” he said.

“In 2012, I was convicted, with 10 years’ imprisonment, but I served seven years.

“It was in Khayelitsha in Cape Town.”

Hintsa said he was arrested for possession of drugs (wunga) in 2019.

“I was sentenced to a three-year suspended sentence in Flagstaff,” he said.

NPA spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said the state had a watertight case and would oppose bail should the accused decide to apply.

On request by prosecutor Nkululeko Mathenjwa, magistrate Isaacs postponed the case to November 26, when the three suspects will be joined in court by Siphosoxolo Myekethe, 45, who was arrested in possession of an AK7 on October 7.

He has also since abandoned bail.

Police have recovered three AK-47 automatic rifles and a 243 Steyr Mannlicher rifle believed to have been used in the recent Lusikisiki massacre, which claimed the lives of 18 people.

Two more suspects, Zenande Paya, 38, and Mawethu Nomdlembu, 36, were arrested in Flagstaff on Thursday night after they were allegedly found in possession of high-calibre rifles.

“The two men arrested in possession of four firearms suspected to have been used during the Lusikisiki attack appeared in the Lusikisiki [magistrate’s court] facing four counts of unlawful possession of three AK47 assault rifles and a 243 Steyr Mannlicher rifle as well as 82 live rounds of ammunition,” Mathenjwa said.

The case has been remanded to Monday for legal representation.

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