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The South African
11-07-2025
- The South African
Bail granted to SANDF twelve embroiled in murderous scandal
On 11 July 2025, the Randburg Magistrate's Court granted R10 000 bail each to twelve South African National Defence Force officials. They are embroiled in a murderous scandal. Lieutenant Colonel Frans Mathipa was gunned down on 6 August 2023. According to law enforcement, the shooting was an alleged plot by the 12 SANDF members. At the time of the incident, Mathipa was driving on the N1 highway near Hammanskraal. According to Hawks spokesperson, Katlego Mogale, the shooting caused Mathipa to lose control of his vehicle. He veered into a ditch and it resulted in his subsequent death. An investigation into Mathipa's death led the Hawks to Sunnybooi Pinny Wambi, Edward Albert van Deventer, David Mogaditswe, Kgosietsile Letsatsi, Samkelo Ngwenya and Jonathan Nteleza. Mogale said Paulos Matlou, Herbert Mashego, Solomon Lechoenyo, Jacob Mokoena, Richard Mpoetsi and Olyn Lenardus were also implicated. Lieutenant Colonel Mathipa was on duty when he was killed. He was a member of the Gauteng Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit of the Hawks. He was tasked with investigating crimes against the state. 'The accused are also allegedly linked to a case of kidnapping of two male foreign nationals at a mall in Midrand on 29 December 202,' Mogale continued. While the twelve celebrate temporary relief, Mogale has warned that it will be only for a week as they are due back in court next Thursday. Following the granting of bail, the Magistrate postponed the case to 17 July 2025, for the state to appeal the bail judgement.
Daily Maverick
11-07-2025
- Daily Maverick
Magistrate casts doubt on evidence against SANDF members accused of murdering Hawks investigator
Twelve SANDF members accused of triple murder – including the killing of Hawks detective Frans Mathipa – were granted bail by the Randburg Magistrates' Court on Friday, 11 July. Magistrate Hleziphi Mkhasibe has described the case against 12 SANDF special forces members accused of murdering Hawks detective Frans Mathipa as circumstantial and weak. The 12 were granted R10,000 bail in the Randburg Magistrates' Court on Friday, 11 July. The names of the accused, which the court had previously barred the media from reporting, are: Sunnybooi Pinny Wambi, Edward Albert van Deventer, David Mogaditswe, Kgosietsile Letsatsi, Samkelo Ngwenya, Jonathan Nteleza, Paulos Matlou, Herbert Mashego, Solomon Lechoenyo, Jacob Mokoena, Richard Mpoetsi and Olyn Lenardus. Mathipa was shot on 6 August 2023, while driving on the N1 highway in Gauteng near the Hammanskraal off-ramp. He was on his way to a meeting, believed to be connected to his investigation into the special forces unit alleged to have conducted a kidnapping in 2022. The 12 soldiers also face two murder charges related to that case. They are accused of kidnapping and killing alleged Isis associate Abdella Abadiga and his bodyguard Kadir Abotese on 22 December 2022. The two have not been since they were allegedly kidnapped from the Mall of Africa and taken to Swartkop Military Base. They are presumed dead. 'At the time of the kidnapping, some of the applicants were not present during the crime,' Mkhasibe said. She said the State possessed no evidence of the kidnappings of Abadiga and Abotese. 'Mr Abadiga's vehicle was seen leaving the Mall of Africa, but none of the applicants were seen driving the vehicle,' Mkhasibe said. 'There is no evidence that the applicants killed Mr Abadiga and Mr Abotese,' she said. The court had heard that the 12 soldiers allegedly hired a hitman to eliminate the Hawks detective tasked with investigating Mathipa's murder, but the magistrate questioned the claim. 'The State advocate told the court that the applicants hired a hitman from KwaZulu-Natal to eliminate the detective, but there is no evidence,' Mkhasibe said. Mathipa was killed soon after requesting information from the SANDF regarding his investigation into the kidnapping. The matter ended up in court, and the SANDF was required to hand over the information, but it refused. Shortly thereafter, Mathipa was murdered. The court heard that the SANDF still hasn't handed over the information. It is alleged that members of the special forces unit faked a hijacking to get rid of the BMW they allegedly used to carry out Mathipa's murder. They lodged an insurance claim while the vehicle was, according to prosecutors, left at a scrapyard. The court heard that a burner phone used to allegedly lure Mathipa to his death was found inside the BMW. Some of the accused acknowledged their presence at the Mall of Africa during the alleged kidnapping, but they claimed they were on a training exercise. NPA 'disappointed' Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said the State was disappointed that the accused were granted bail. 'It's a disappointing outcome. As the NPA, we had opposed the release of the applicants, but the court deemed them suitable candidates to be released on bail for a fixed bail amount of R10,000,' Mjinondwane said. She said the magistrate gave the NPA the green light to appeal against the decision, and that the State had put its best foot forward in this case. 'We are confident that we presented a comprehensive affidavit in court of how the accused are linked.' The appeal against the bail decision will be heard on 17 July. DM
The Citizen
11-07-2025
- The Citizen
NPA to appeal bail ruling in case of 12 SANDF soldiers accused of killing Hawks investigator
The troops were released on R10 000 bail on Friday. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is set to appeal a bail judgment that resulted in the release of 12 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members linked to the murder of senior Hawks investigator Frans Mathipa. The 12 SANDF special forces soldiers were each granted R10 000 bail by the Randburg Magistrate's Court on Friday. The identities of the accused remain undisclosed as per a court order. SANDF soldiers implicated in murder The arrests were made last month following Mathipa's death in August 2023. He was fatally shot while driving on the N1 highway near the Hammanskraal offramp. At the time of his death, Mathipa had been investigating the abduction of two Ethiopian men – alleged Isis associate Abdella Hussein Abadiga abd his bodyguard, Kadir Jemal Abotese. ALSO READ: Reserve Force members allegedly defraud cash-strapped SANDF of R1.1 million The two men were kidnapped from the Mall of Africa in Midrand in December 2022. The accused face multiple charges, including kidnapping, murder, fraud, obstructing the administration of justice, making a false statement under oath and theft of a motor vehicle. Bail granted for SANDF soldiers On Friday, NPA Gauteng regional spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane expressed the prosecution's disappointment with the outcome of the bail hearing. 'The court deemed them as suitable candidates to be released on bail and, therefore, fixed bail in the amount of R10 000,' she told SABC News. She indicated that the matter will be back in court next week as the state seeks to appeal the bail ruling. Mjonondwane argued that the state had presented a compelling case to justify opposing bail. 'We are of the view that we have presented a very comprehensive affidavit in court stating how all the accused are linked,' she said. 'Nonetheless, we are not yet at the trial stage where as the state we have to prove our case beyond reasonable doubt. 'The proceedings before court were on a balance of probabilities and as such the NPA will henceforth study this judgement.' READ MORE: 'We're bleeding but not finished': Motshekga defends struggling air force She also disputed the defence's claim that the Ethiopian nationals had likely disappeared voluntarily since Abadiga and Abotese have not been found. 'Part of the information that we submitted as the NPA was to dismiss their allegations about the person that we are saying they allegedly killed, about him changing from one place to another and also changing identity. 'We have dismissed that because there was no supporting evidence to support what they were alleging.' Mjonondwane maintained that the accused were linked to the crimes and that the state would rely on legal precedent and supporting evidence to prove its case.. 'We'll use case law as well as corroborating evidence to substantiate our allegations with regards to the two that they allegedly kidnapped at Mall of Africa, whose whereabouts we don't know as the state and we can only come to the conclusion that they were killed.' NPA and SANDF clash over key documents During the bail proceedings, the court reportedly learned that the SANDF had resisted handing over key documents to Mathipa during his investigation. This information is still outstanding, and the magistrate reportedly criticised the military for a lack of cooperation. Mjonondwane confirmed that the NPA has attempted to engage the SANDF to obtain the documents. 'There are families that are waiting to see justice happen and for that to happen is when the SANDF is working in cooperation with the NPA as well as the investigating team. 'We need their cooperation. Efforts are still continuing to try and get the necessary cooperation and the necessary information for the investigating officer to conclude his investigation.' She added that the NPA was using a subpoena under section 205 of the Criminal Procedure Act to compel the SANDF to provide the necessary documents, rather than immediately seeking relief through the courts. 'The subpoena itself was a way of forcing the hand of the South African National Defence Force because as the NPA we have mechanisms available to get the necessary information wherein an investigation is ongoing and certain information is needed. 'The law provides us with such sections to utilise in order to get all the information that we require to ensure that justice is indeed served in this matter.' The case will be back in court on 17 July. NOW READ: Two SANDF soldiers stabbed to death during altercation at Mpumalanga base
Eyewitness News
05-07-2025
- Eyewitness News
Defence in murder case against 12 soldiers dismisses claims of rogue unit in SANDF
JOHANNESBURG - The defence in the murder case against 12 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers dismissed claims of a rogue unit in the army. This comes amid renewed scrutiny of the conduct of the special forces unit and speculation that they may be involved in activities above the law. Twelve defence force members appeared in the Randburg Magistrates Court on Friday for a continuation of their bail hearing following their arrest almost two weeks ago. READ: State accuses SANDF special forces of elaborate cover-up in murder of Hawks investigator Mathipa They face charges of murder, kidnapping, fraud and obstructing the ends of justice. The SANDF special forces unit has previously been accused of corruption, torture and even murder. The allegations have been tested but the report into possible misconduct in the military has yet to be made public. The Moorhouse Report is believed to contain what is termed as "explosive details of rogue SANDF activity", including the use of front companies and claims of politically motivated killings. The execution of Hawks investigator, Francis Mathipa, allegedly by some SANDF members, renewed calls for an audit into the army's conduct. But in the bail application, the defence lawyers for the accused have denied the claims. The defence said there was no motive for the crimes they are accused of, including the kidnapping of two foreign nationals, the pair's possible murder and Mathipa's assassination. The defence said that the soldiers in the dock were disciplined officials who would not set a foot out of line without command. The matter will be back in court next week for a bail outcome.
Eyewitness News
02-07-2025
- Eyewitness News
NPA confirms 12 murder-accused SANDF members facing two other counts of murder
Nokukhanya Mntambo 2 July 2025 | 6:52 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Murder SANDF army defence force soldiers JOHANNESBURG - The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has confirmed that the 12 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members charged with the 2023 murder of a Hawks' investigator are also facing two other counts of murder. Frans Mathipa was shot in the head on the N1 near Hammanskraal, while probing claims that some members of the SANDF special forces were behind the abduction of two foreign nationals at the Mall of Africa. The group appeared before the Randburg Magistrates Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday, where new details about the case emerged. At the time of his murder, Hawks investigator Mathipa had applied for a Section 205 subpoena to get classified documents that could shed some light on the 2022 kidnapping. According to Open Secrets, on or before the deadline for the SANDF to respond to the application, Mathipa and army officials had agreed to halt the process while they negotiated access to the requested information. The SANDF maintains that the operatives were at the Mall of Africa on 29 December 2022, for a training exercise and that the abduction of an alleged ISIS associate and his bodyguard was a coincidence. While it was never confirmed at the time, the NPA's spokesperson in Gauteng, Phindi Mjonondwane, said the kidnapped men may have also been killed by the special forces. 'I can just give a hint to say that we'll be relying on the case of Francis Rasuge in proving the other two murder charges, that's as far as we can go.' The 12 accused are set to be back in court for a continuation of their bail hearing on Thursday. The SANDF has consistently denied claims that the special forces unit is rogue, adding that claims of torture, illegal arrests, and murder are untrue. Already in the dock for the 2023 murder of Hawks investigator Frans Mathipa - NPA GP spox Phindi Mjonondwane has confirmed 2 more murder charges for the 12 SANDF special forces linked to the disappearance of an ISIS associate and his bodyguard taken from the Mall of Africa. — EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) July 1, 2025
