Ivory theft turns bloody (South Africa)
Ivory theft turns bloody (South Africa)
Oris Mnisi, News 24
August 27, 2008
Bushbuckridge - Four people have appeared in court in connection with killing two men and dumping their bodies on a railway line after a plot to steal elephant ivory turned sour.
Andrew Mathebula, 38, Desmond Hlatshwayo, 22, Fortunate Mbowane, 24, and Eunice Hlatshwayo, 33, who is a police widow, are accused of murdering Freedom Silinda, 33, and Joseph Ndlovu, 28, on April 24 2001.
Silinda and Ndlovu were throttled to death and their bodies then dumped on a railway line between Timbavati and Mugidi primary school. A goods train drove over them.
They were killed after a quarrel over four elephant tusks that had been stolen from a private camp in Hoedspruit, where Mathebula worked as a guard.
Mathebula and Hlatshwayo's late husband, Sergeant Masasana Johnson Hlatshwayo of Hoedspruit police stolen, are accused of hiring the men to steal the tusks.
The two men were killed at an empty house belonging to Mathebula's sister in Timbavati during an argument over the tusks.
The younger Hlatshwayo and Mbowane are accused of performing the actual murder.
Sergeant was later also murdered, but the man suspected of his murder died of an illness in December before he could be tried.
The four surviving accused appeared in the Mhala regional court on Monday and have not been asked to plead to charges of murder and ivory theft.
They have applied for free legal assistance and are out on R2 000 bail pending their next appearance from December 1 to 5.
Article at the following link:
http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2383224,00.html
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Oris Mnisi, News 24
August 27, 2008
Bushbuckridge - Four people have appeared in court in connection with killing two men and dumping their bodies on a railway line after a plot to steal elephant ivory turned sour.
Andrew Mathebula, 38, Desmond Hlatshwayo, 22, Fortunate Mbowane, 24, and Eunice Hlatshwayo, 33, who is a police widow, are accused of murdering Freedom Silinda, 33, and Joseph Ndlovu, 28, on April 24 2001.
Silinda and Ndlovu were throttled to death and their bodies then dumped on a railway line between Timbavati and Mugidi primary school. A goods train drove over them.
They were killed after a quarrel over four elephant tusks that had been stolen from a private camp in Hoedspruit, where Mathebula worked as a guard.
Mathebula and Hlatshwayo's late husband, Sergeant Masasana Johnson Hlatshwayo of Hoedspruit police stolen, are accused of hiring the men to steal the tusks.
The two men were killed at an empty house belonging to Mathebula's sister in Timbavati during an argument over the tusks.
The younger Hlatshwayo and Mbowane are accused of performing the actual murder.
Sergeant was later also murdered, but the man suspected of his murder died of an illness in December before he could be tried.
The four surviving accused appeared in the Mhala regional court on Monday and have not been asked to plead to charges of murder and ivory theft.
They have applied for free legal assistance and are out on R2 000 bail pending their next appearance from December 1 to 5.
Article at the following link:
http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2383224,00.html
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