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Gospel artist Dumi Mkokstad sings during Prince Lethukuthula Zulu’s funeral at the royal palace of KwaKhethomthandayo in Nongoma, north of KwaZulu-Natal.
- The five suspects charged with the murder of Prince Lethukuthula Zulu, King Goodwill Zwelithini’s eldest son, appeared before the Randburg Magistrates Court.
- Three of the five have a pending robbery case in Benoni.
- According to the State, they are allegedly part of a union that drugs and robs people.
Three of the five people accused of murdering Zulu prince Lethukuthula Zulu and stealing items from his home have been linked to robberies in Benoni.
Tshegofatso Moremane, 20 years old; Margeret Koaile, 42 years old; Portia Mmola, 28 years old; Gontshe Tlholoe, 30 years old; and Dakalo Mbedzi, 32, made a brief second appearance in Randburg Magistrates Court on Monday.
His lawyer told the court that Koaile, Mmola and Tlholoe had missed a court appearance in Benoni because they were in custody. They were to appear in court on November 26 on charges of theft.
Zulu, the eldest son of King Goodwill Zwelithini, was found dead by security guards at his home in a residential complex in Northwold, Johannesburg, on November 6.
Members of the royal family as well as Izinduna (chiefs) in Gauteng filled the public gallery at the Randburg Magistrates Court.
The defendants appeared to be visibly shocked when they learned that they would no longer remain in the cells of the Randburg Police Station, but would instead be transferred to the prison due to cell space problems.
Prosecutor Yusuf Baba said that the prosecutor in the robbery matter was aware of the appearance of Koaile, Mmola and Tlholoe at Randburg Magistrates Court.
Outside court, NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said the three had been charged with two counts of robbery in Benoni.
During the first appearance, Baba told the court that the state intended to connect them with other cases in Benoni and Pretoria, dating back to 2017.
“The defendants are in a union involved in drugging people and stealing their money. As a consequence of the defendant’s actions, drugging the victim led to [Prince Lethukuthula Zulu’s] death, “Baba said last week.
The matter was postponed until Thursday for bond requests.
