Six murder suspects briefly appeared in the jam-packed Vuwani Magistrate’s Court last Friday for allegedly killing a stock farmer a day before New Year’s Eve.

The six, Wilson Munonela (78), Samuel Neshunzhi (68), Masindi Maphepha (62), Police Constable Nyambeni Madzivhandila (35) attached to the Gauteng SAPS, Kenneth Manyelele (35) and Florah Manyelenyele (78) are accused of gunning down Mr Wilson Mudavhi, a stock farmer at Nngwekhulu-Tshilata Village. They allegedly accused him of letting his cattle destroy their mealie field before killing him.

Only Constable Madzivhandila and Manyelele were granted bail of R1 000 each and the rest are still behind bars. The case was postponed to 19 March for a bail application.

Several community members were picketing outside the court, displaying placards stating that no bail should be granted to the murder suspects.

The deceased’s wife, Phophi Mudavhi, said eight of their cattle were taken away by one of the suspects, the 78-year-old Munonela. He allegedly stated that the cattle had destroyed his crops. The deceased was then allegedly ordered to pay a R5 000 fine by Munonela. “We sent the mediator to go and ask forgiveness and to beg for the fine to be reduced. It was later reduced to R2 000, payable in cash. We requested them to allow us time to pay in instalments, but he refused,” said the widow.

“We received another call at midnight that our cattle were destroying some mealie fields at Davhana Village. We went there to collect them. On our way back home, there was a man who was pretending to help us, but who later disappeared in the darkness. A shot was fired from the darkness and I saw my husband falling down,” she said.

Community members demanded that the magistrate speed up the case and sentence all the perpetrators, so that the area will be quiet again.