The Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court earlier this week granted R5 000 bail to each of the 12 men accused of hacking five people with a bush knife in the Bhambayi area, in iNanda in January.
The accused allegedly took the law into their own hands by killing Ayabongwa Maduna, Buhle Dweshu, Nhlakanipho Ngubane, Yongema Zingwe, and Senze Lemese for being troublemakers in the community.
The accused are Aphelele Nhlanganiso, Qondokwakhe Jama, Linda Mthembu, Sibonelo Ntshangase, Mmeli Makhubalo, Sandiso Godagoba, Aphelele Hlengwa, Sipho Manqele, Zanemvula Mlotshwa, Nkululeko Mhlabezulu, Zolani Zwide and Bongani Nkabinde.
The accused were allegedly at the forefront when the community on January 16, this year, decided to kill the five men. The victims are alleged to have been raping women in the community, committing burglary, and assaulting people. After they were killed, their bodies were ditched at a sports field in Bhambayi.
The members of the community who were crammed into the courtroom were not pleased with the bail that the accused was given. As a result, the court was forced to justify its decision to grant the 12 accused R5 000 bail each.
The court said the accused are charged with serious offences - murder, kidnapping, and attempted murder, adding that if a suspect is granted bail in these offences, the amount is pricey.
Blessing Nyuswa, who speaks on behalf of Bhambayi community members, said they were happy that the accused were granted bail.
She emphasised that things were never going to escalate to the community taking the law into their own hands, had the police in iNanda listened to their grievances about the five ‘criminals’.
She said there was still tension in the community as they were receiving threatening calls, telling them that the war was not over, this was just the beginning.