News24 | Bail denied for alleged killer of Madlanga Commission’s Witness D

The Brakpan Magistrate’s Court has dismissed the bail application of the man who allegedly killed Marius van der Merwe, who was known as Witness D at the Madlanga Commission.

Matipandile Sotheni, a former member of the police’s elite Special Task Force, was denied bail after Magistrate Tlakale Sathekge found that his release could endanger people, including Van der Merwe’s family, and that he could influence witnesses and tamper with evidence.

“There is a likelihood that the accused, if he were released on bail, would attempt to evade his trial due to the nature and the gravity of the charges on which the accused is to be tried,” the magistrate added.

Sathekge ruled that the interests of justice favoured keeping Sotheni imprisoned pending his trial.

As she delivered the ruling, members of the Van der Merwe family in the public gallery applauded.

“This is what we wanted, but it’s very emotional to hear how they killed my brother. It will never bring my brother back. His soul is not resting,” said Natasha van der Merwe.

In December last year, an AK-47 rifle was used to kill Van der Merwe in a drive-by shooting outside his Brakpan home in view of his wife and children.

The State alleges that only a highly trained gunman would have been able to shoot him that skillfully from a moving vehicle.

In an affidavit, Sotheni admitted that the rifle that was found in his employer’s vehicle had been issued to him.

Police investigations revealed that Wiandre Pretorius was the driver of the vehicle.

Pretorius was one of the men implicated by Van der Merwe in the 2022 torture and murder of 51-year-old Emmanuel Mbense.

READ | Witness D killing: Ex-SAPS sniper claims dead reservist wanted protected witness ‘fixed’

According to the charge sheet, Pretorius took Sotheni to point out Van der Merwe’s home before the shooting.

Pretorius died by suicide in February this year after surviving a hit at his Boksburg home a few days prior.

The case has been postponed to 30 July for further investigation.

There is a possibility that it will be transferred to the High Court.

From Babita Deokaran to Mpho Mafole, whistleblowers remain at the forefront of News24’s intensive investigative work.

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