2 suspects in murder of IFP MP Khethamabala Sithole abandon bail bids
Khethakuthula Sithole and Nontando Ximba made a brief appearance at the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court in Katlehong, east of Johannesburg on Thursday.
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JOHANNESBURG - The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has welcomed the abandoning of bail by two men accused of murdering its former member of Parliament, Khethamabala Petros Sithole.
Khethakuthula Sithole and Nontando Ximba appeared at the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court on Thursday morning for their bail application.
It is alleged that on 31 May, the two men, along with another accomplice, shot and killed Sithole and seriously injured two other IFP members.
The incident took place at the Buyafuthi hostel in Katlehong, east of Johannesburg, during an IFP ward meeting.
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The court gallery was overflowing with IFP supporters.
The bail applications of the two men were expected to shed more light on the shooting.
Instead, their lawyer told the court: "After consultations with both accused persons, the instructions are to provisionally abandon bail."
IFP Gauteng chairperson, Bonginkosi Dhlamini, said that innocent people do not abandon their bail.
"It gives space for further investigations. As the IFP, we are not interested in them, we are interested in the guy who sent them to do this brutal killing."
The matter returns to court on 29 July.