THE Vereeniging Magistrates Court denied the killer ex-husband bail with his co-accused on Thursday, 18 April.
Dr Tumelo Ntholeng and his three co-accused’s defence lawyer asked the court to postpone the case to Monday, 22 April, as they wanted to argue why their clients were denied bail.
State prosecutor Amukelani Rikhotso’s reading affidavit said Ntholeng paid R70 000 for his ex-wife to be killed and the last payment of R20 000 he allegedly paid 30 minutes after Palesa Mofokeng was shot and killed allegedly by accused number one Mzwanele Mazeke.
The prosecutor said after Palesa was killed, Ntholeng, hours before his arrest, also attempted to claim life insurance for Mofokeng.
He said the court will not grant all accused bail as they provided wrong residential addresses and that makes them flight a risks.
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The prosecutor said the accused will never come back again in court once they are free as they are aware that their minimum sentence is life in prison.
The court said the co-accused cousin, Pakiso Makhanya, is the alleged mastermind in the murder of Palesa Mofokeng and was the first one to be paid R32 000, then accused number one is allegedly the shooter and was paid R20 000, while accused number two was the driver and received R15 000.
The court said after Ntholeng promised Makhanya R70 000 in September 2023, he then organised his two friends who started following the slain teacher every day and, on the day they shot and killed Mofokeng, Ntholeng was in another car behind, together with his co-accused cousin.
Presiding judge, Chris Kruger, postponed the case to Monday, 22 April to give the defence lawyers time to study the affidavits that denied their clients bail.
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