Latest news with #FransMathipa
IOL News
26-07-2025
- IOL News
Taxpayers foot legal bill for SANDF members accused of DPCI investigator's murder
Defence Minister Angie Motshekga says her department will continue to provide legal assistance to 12 SANDF members charged with several charges, including the murder of DPCI senior investigator, Lieutenant Colonel Frans Mathipa, who was shot dead in 2023 while probing allegations the accused in the abduction of an Ethiopian businessman and suspected ISIS leader from the Mall of Africa. Image: SAPS Taxpayers are coughing up the legal costs for the 12 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members who are facing multiple charges, including the murder of Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation's (DPCI) senior investigator, Lieutenant-Colonel Frans Mathipa. Mathipa was killed while he was investigating the abduction of two Ethiopian men, Abdella Hussein Abadiga and his bodyguard, Kadir Jemal Abotese, who were abducted and allegedly taken to Zwartkop Military Base, and their whereabouts are still unknown. This was disclosed by Defence Minister Angie Motshekga when she was responding to parliamentary questions from DA MP Chris Hattingh and Maliyakhe Shelembe. Motshekga said the legal costs were paid on the basis of the Defence Act which provides for legal representation for SANDF members. 'The SANDF has the authority to provide legal assistance to its members in certain circumstances. The 12 members of the SANDF facing charges related to the death of Lt Col Frans Mathipa are receiving State-funded legal assistance in accordance with the Defence Act, 2022. This assistance was made available from the outset of the legal proceedings,' she said. Asked about the legal cost incurred to date in providing to the accused SANDF members, Motshekga said the defence could not confirm the total costs as the court case was currently ongoing and legal proceedings still in progress. 'The department will continue to provide the necessary support and the final costs will be determined once the matter is concluded.' She would provide the estimated cost that may be incurred should the case proceed to full criminal trial. 'The cost will depend on various factors, including the duration of the trial, the number of witnesses, and the complexity of the legal arguments. As such it is not feasible to provide a reliable estimate of the total costs, including legal fees and other relevant expenses, at this stage,' Motshekga said. The members of the SANDF special operations unit were each granted R10 000 bail by the Randburg Magistrate's Court following their arrest last month following Mathipa's death in August 2023. The National Prosecuting Authority has indicated that it will appeal the court's decision to grant bail to the SANDF members facing serious charges that include murder, kidnapping, fraud, obstructing the administration of justice, making false statements under oath and theft of a motor vehicle. Asked if SANDF has a framework to guide the provision of legal assistance to members charged with serious criminal offences, Motshekga said the process of acquiring legal representation at the State's expense starts with an application by an individual to the department's legal services division. 'The request includes an acknowledgement and undertaking by the member that any expense incurred maybe recouped if it is subsequently determined that the member did not qualify for legal representation at State expense.' However, she said the SANDF policy on legal assistance may differ depending whether the proceedings are held in military or civilian courts. Motshekga said members facing charges in military courts may be entitled to legal representation provided by the SANDF's military defence counsel. 'For proceedings in civilian courts, the SANDF's members, guided by the Defence Act, may be provided with legal assistance under certain circumstances, such as when the member's actions were taken in the course of their duties.' She would not say how much her department spent on legal assistance for SANDF members over the past five years. Motshekga, however, indicated that SANDF has received 26 requests for legal assistance at State's expense during the past five years.
TimesLIVE
11-07-2025
- TimesLIVE
Special ops soldiers linked to murder of Hawks officer Mathipa granted bail
The 12 South African National Defence Force members accused of the murder of Hawks officer Lt-Col Frans Mathipa were granted R10,000 bail each on Friday. The state has announced it will appeal against the decision by the Randburg magistrate's court. The court ruled they have shown circumstances that warrant their release on bail and that the state failed to show the role of each accused in the charges. There was no evidence they would intimidate state witnesses, the court ruled. The defence teams successfully argued there was no evidence to support that the soldiers are a danger to society or that they will avoid the trial. The state previously pushed for the soldiers to be denied bail, arguing they would compromise police investigations and endanger the safety of the public if granted bail.
IOL News
11-07-2025
- IOL News
Colonel Mathipa's murder: 12 SANDF Special Task Force soldiers released on bail
When Lieutenant Colonel Frans Mathipa was shot dead in 2023, he was probing allegations that members of the SANDF Special Forces had abducted an Ethiopian businessman and suspected ISIS leader from the Mall of Africa. Image: SAPS The Randburg Magistrates' Court in Joburg has released 12 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members on bail, after they were on several charges, including murder of a police officer. Last week, IOL reported that the bail application had been postponed to allow for the verification of their residential addresses. The 12 accused soldiers face multiple serious charges, including three counts of murder, kidnapping, fraud, obstruction of justice, perjury, and theft of a motor vehicle. The charges stem from the alleged kidnapping of Ethiopian businessman and suspected ISIS funder, Abdella Hussain Abadiga and his bodyguard Kadir Jemal Abotese on 29 December 2022 at Mall of Africa in Midrand. Previously, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Gauteng regional spokesperson, Phindi Mjonondwane, said the victims were reportedly abducted from the Midrand mall and taken to the Zwartkop Military Base, and their whereabouts remain unknown. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ CCTV footage submitted to the High Court in Johannesburg shows Ethiopian businessman and suspected ISIS funder Abdella Hussein Abadiga and his bodyguard Kadir Jemal Abotese inside Mall of Africa before they vanished on 29 December 2022. Image: Abdurahim Hussein Abadiga 'The accused are also linked to the assassination of Lieutenant Colonel Frans Mathipa, a Hawks officer investigating the kidnapping. Mathipa was fatally shot on 6 August 2023 on the N1 Highway by individuals reportedly driving a SANDF vehicle,' said Mjonondwane. During the court proceedings last week, the defence submitted affidavits in which the accused deny any involvement in the incidents. A statement from their commanding officer was also submitted in support of the bail application. Mjonondwane said the NPA views the matter in a serious light, given the nature of the charges and the potential threat to the administration of justice. The accused SANDF members were arrested in June. IOL previously reported that some of the soldiers were arrested at different places, including the OR Tambo International Airport and Centurion in Tshwane. Following the arrests, spokesperson for the Hawks, Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Singo, stated that the arrests were carried out by members of the Johannesburg-based Hawks' Serious Organised Crime Investigation, the headquarters' Serious Organised Crime Investigation, and the Tactical Operations Management Section (Toms). 'The arrests are linked to the murder of Lieutenant Colonel Frans Mathipa, who was fatally shot while driving on the N1 highway near Hammanskraal on August 6, 2023. Following the shooting, his vehicle lost control and veered into a ditch,' Singo said. Mathipa, who was attached to the Hawks' Crimes Against the State Unit within the Serious Organised Crime Investigation in Gauteng, was on duty conducting an investigation at the time of his death. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. IOL News
News24
11-07-2025
- News24
12 SANDF soldiers accused of murdering Hawks investigator granted bail
Twelve SA National Defence Force (SANDF) Special Forces members accused of three murders, including that of Hawks investigator Lieutenant Colonel Frans Mathipa, were granted R10 000 bail each in the Randburg Magistrate's Court on Friday. The soldiers, who cannot be named because an identity parade is yet to be conducted are accused of the murder of Mathipa on the N1 near the Hammanskraal off-ramp on 6 August 2023. They have also been charged with the kidnapping of alleged ISIS leader in South Africa, Abdela Abadiga, and his bodyguard, Kadir Abotese, from the Mall of Africa on 22 December 2022. Abadiga and Abotese have not been found and have been presumed dead.
Economist
10-07-2025
- Economist
Got an enemy? Hire a killer
In late June a dozen soldiers from a South African elite special-forces unit appeared in court in Johannesburg. They were charged with the murder of Frans Mathipa, a police detective. He was shot twice in the head from a moving car while driving north from Pretoria in 2023.
