Johannesburg - The five men arrested for a series of attacks and the murder of two Fort Hare University staff members, are expected to formally apply for bail on May 4 in the Alice Magistrate’s Court in the Eastern Cape.
The men, who are former and current employees at the university, will remain in custody until then.
The Police Ministry earlier today welcomed the breakthrough in the murder and attempted murder investigations at the University of Fort Hare in the Eastern Cape.
Speaking outside court, Minister Bheki Cele said they were also encouraged that the investigating team deployed to probe corruption-related attacks in and around the University, continues to make inroads towards justice.
The team was deployed to investigate the murder of the driver and close protector of Fort Hare University Vice Chancellor, Professor Sakhela Buhlungu.
Protector, Mboneni Vesele was shot and killed while inside the professor’s vehicle in February 2023.
The scope of the investigative team also included the murder of the institution’s fleet manager, Petrus Roets, who was fatally shot in March last year.
There have also been a number of attempted assassinations of other university staff members that have also been investigated by the team.
On Tuesday, the five men appeared for the first time in the Alice Magistrate’s court for their respective roles in the series of attacks on Fort Hare University staff, including the two murders.
Police arrested the five men over the long weekend. They were charged with murder, attempted murder, as well as fraud and corruption.
Two of the accused are also facing additional charges related to the possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Fort Hare University management, through its Vice Chancellor Professor Buhlungu, has commended the breakthrough.
Buhlungu, however, said they were disturbed that some of those who appeared in the dock are former and current employees of the university.
One of the accused is a former Student Representative Council member turned businessman who is a service provider to the university.
High ranking members of the police ministry, including Cele, attended the court proceedings along with National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola and his management team.
They have urged investigators to leave no stone unturned in connecting all the dots and finding all those behind the slew of attacks on university employees, believed to be linked to corruption within the institution.
kailene.pillay@inl.co.za
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