MOGWASE, June (ANA) - Former North West provincial deputy police commissioner Major General William Mpembe and eight other policemen appeared briefly in the North West High Court on Monday.
The case was postponed to September 14 for a pre-trial conference. The pre-trial could not proceed on Monday, as the defence still required time to consult.
The accused are facing charges relating to a shooting incident in Marikana near Rustenburg in August 2012.
Mpembe, now head of security at a mining house in Marikana, is accused of the murder of Semi Jokanisi, Tembelakhe Mati, Warrant Officer Hendrik Tsietsi Monene, and Warrant Officer Sello Ronnie Lepaauku.
He is charged alongside retired Colonel Salmon Johannes Vermaak, 53, who together with Constable Nkosana Mguye, 38, Warrant Officer Masilo Mogale, 49, Warrant Officer Katlego Joseph Sekgweleya, 39, and Khazamola Phillip Makhubela, 49, are accused of the murder of Pumzile Sokhanyile.
Mpembe and Vermaak were granted R5,000 bail each while Mguye, Mogale, Sekgweleya, and Makhubela were released on R2,000 bail each. Their bail was extended until September 14.
The 55-year-old Mpembe faces other charges of defeating the ends of justice, contravention of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) Act as well as contravention of the Commission Act. Vermaark further faces charges of defeating the ends of justice and contravention of the Commission Act.
In this case, he is charged along with Gideon van Zyl, Dingaan Madoda, and Oupa Pule.
Van Zyl, Madoda, and Pule are accused of defeating the end of justice and contravention of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate Act.
They allegedly failed to disclose that mineworker Modisaotsile van Wyk Sagalala died in custody while transported to Lonmin premises on August 16, 2012.
The case was also postponed to September 14, for a pre-trial conference. The four are out on warning.
- African News Agency (ANA)
