NPA and DJ Sumbody's family welcome court's decision to deny Katiso Molefe bail
Image: Simon Majadibodu / IOL
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the family of DJ Sumbody (Oupa Sefoka) have welcomed the ruling made by the Alexandra Magistrate's Court, which on Wednesday denied the bail application made by the alleged murder-for-hire accused, Katiso Molefe.
Molefe, accused of masterminding the violent killings of popular musicians DJ Sumbody and DJ Vintos, as well as Armand Swart and Don Tindleni, has been described as a danger to society, with the means to use his bail to interfere with witnesses and the ongoing investigation.
The 61-year-old briefly appeared in the Alexandra Magistrate's Court on Wednesday for the 2022 murder case of DJ Sumbody and his two bodyguards, who were killed in a hail of bullets in Woodmead.
Molefe is alleged to have hired Michael Pule Tau, Tiego Floyd Mabusela, and Musa Kekana as the alleged hitmen to carry out hits on the victims on Molefe's instructions.
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The four murder accused are also charged with the April 2024 murder of Vereeniging engineer Swart, killed in an alleged case of mistaken identity after his company blew the whistle on tender corruption.
They are also implicated in the March 2023 murder of a man identified as Don Tindleni on the N1 near the N17 offramp.
While the State has argued that Molefe ordered the hit, Molefe has maintained that he could not be linked to the charges brought against him.
Magistrate Reneir Boshoff rejected Molefe's bail plea, saying the accused might interfere with ongoing investigations if he is released on bail, adding that the alleged mastermind also failed to prove exceptional circumstances to justify his release on bail, citing previous convictions and the ongoing murder case of Swart as some of the reasons.
"The applicant's personal circumstances are before the court. Significantly, the applicant has a previous drug-related conviction in the UK... He also has a fraud conviction relating to his stay in the UK. What is of concern is the fact that he used a false Lesotho passport together with a false name or alias, David Tembo Lebitsa... Another concern this court has is the large amounts that were paid into the applicant's company's account in the absence of an explanation, strongly suggesting unidentified sources of income," stated Boshoff.
Reacting to the court's decision, NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane echoed the magistrate's sentiments, saying: "We have cited in court that the accused person is a danger to society. He knows that if convicted, he faces a lengthy imprisonment term, which is an incentive for him to evade his trial.
"Also, we believe that the interest of justice does not permit his release on bail, considering that he is a danger to society and could tamper with the ongoing investigation."
On the prospect of their case, Mjonondwane said the State has strong evidence, which has already been cited by the court, that Molefe is indeed the alleged mastermind with bank transactions, WhatsApp messages, and other communications at the centre of the State's case.
Chad Thomas, speaking on behalf of DJ Sumbody's family, who attended the case on the watching brief for the family, said that despite the damage caused by the contract killing to the family, the family feels relieved by the ruling.
"As the Sefoka family, we are satisfied with this outcome, and we believe that a lot of people are going to sleep easier tonight knowing that the purported mastermind of the murder-for-hire syndicate remains behind bars. The most important thing for us now is to see the NPA and law enforcement agencies work tirelessly to bring a stop to what has become a norm in South Africa, where people hire izinkabi (hitmen). This is something that should not be tolerated," he said.
Molefe is expected to return to court alongside his co-accused on September 18 for the indictment process.
siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za
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