Two Lusikisiki murder accused signal intent to apply for bail

The two men who joined four others accused of the murder of 18 people in Lusikisiki indicated on Thursday they intend to apply for bail.

Zenande Paya, 38, and Mawethu Nomdlembu, 36, made their first appearance in the Lusikisiki magistrate’s court after their case was transferred from Flagstaff district court on Monday.

Paya and Nomdlembu were initially charged with four counts of unlawful possession of three AK47 assault rifles and a 243 Steyr Mannlicher rifle and possession of 82 rounds of ammunition.   

“They appeared briefly in court today [Thursday] and elected to be represented by a Legal Aid attorney. They indicated they wanted to apply for bail and the court postponed their case to October 29 for a formal bail application, which will be opposed by the prosecution,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said. 

The four other accused abandoned their bail applications. They are Siphosoxolo Myekethe, 45, Aphiwe “AP” Ndende, 25, Lwando Antony Abi, 33 and Bonga Hintsa, 31.

Paya and Nomdlembu now face 18 charges of murder and one of possession of unlicensed firearms.

They were arrested in Flagstaff on October 17 in possession of the four rifles and ammunition allegedly moved to other locations after the Lusikisiki killings on September 28. 

Ndende and Hintsa were arrested in Port Shepstone while Abi was apprehended in East London on October 16. Myekethe was arrested on October 7 at his home in Mthimde location in Lusikisiki.

Their arrest comes after the shooting on September 28 at two neighbouring homesteads in Ngobozana village in Lusikisiki, where 18 people were killed and five others injured. 

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