Defence counsel refutes claims of R50,000 transfer from Reinhardt Steyn to co-accused Chriswell Masilela
MIDDELBURG – The absence of a police docket containing evidence confirming the transfer of R50,000 from Reinhardt Steyn to Chriswell Masilela in exchange for killing and burning the bodies of Thembeni Mnguni and Wanda Mahlangu, resulted in the adjournment of proceedings to the following Wednesday, October 16, 2024.
Steyn, Masilela, and Dumisani Luthuli made an appearance at the Middelburg Magistrates Court on Thursday, October 10, 2024, seeking bail.
Meanwhile, Stephan Wilson, the fourth suspect from Malawi, opted to forego his bail application after being handed a 10-month prison sentence by the Groblersdal Magistrates Court for violating the immigration act.
During the recent court appearance, Captain Sipho Khumalo asserted that investigators had acquired evidence indicating that the funds were transmitted from Steyn’s bank account, and could be traced to the accounts of the two defendants.
In a surprising twist, Steyn, represented by his legal counsel, refuted the allegation of initiating the transfer. “We are prepared to substantiate this claim by presenting bank statements to the court,” Steyn’s lawyer declared.
The burden of proof now rested on Khumalo to corroborate the veracity of his testimony.
Nevertheless, Khumalo informed the court that the documentation illustrating the money transfer from Steyn’s account to the other defendants was in the possession of a former investigating officer who is presently on leave, and the case file is securely stored in a locker.
“The said investigating officer is no longer with the department and is currently on leave,” he elaborated. “Each individual has a designated locker to safeguard their case files.”
Steyn, Masilela, and Luthuli stand accused of the murder of Thembeni Mnguni and Wanda Mahlangu from Laersdrift, following suspicions of sheep theft at the Elandslaagte farm in Middelburg.
They are facing charges of murder, assault, kidnapping, malicious damage to property and defeating the ends of justice after the bodies of Mnguni and Mahlangu were found burnt in a bag and dumped under the bridge in Vandyksdrift road in Middelburg.
The suspects are still in custody and are seeking bail.
